Best Calgary Festivals in August 2014

Must-See Calgary Festivals in August of 2014

Every year, the month of August is when some of our best local festivals are on!

From GlobalFest's exhillarating fireworks and diversity of vendors to Chinatown Street Festival's unique merchants and cultural performances, Calgary's line up of August 2014 festivals has a little bit of something for everyone to enjoy.

Don't let certain street closures and detours deter you from checking out some of the most exciting festivals all year.

Consider this your ultimate guide to find out which festivals in August of 2014 will finish our warm, sunny summer off with a bang!

Calgary International Blues Festival

• When: July 28th to August 3rd, 2014

• Where: Shaw Millennium Park - 1220 9th Avenue SW

• Cost: $30 to $130, children 12 and under FREE

Calgary's 10th annual Blues Festival is happening right now at Shaw Millennium Park in downtown's west end!

During the weeklong event, the main stage is always rockin' the baddest live blues music you'll hear around town that gets you juiced up for a long night of dancing - and possibly some drinking at the beer tent - if your into that, of course.

Blues buffs should be delighted with this year's line-up of headliners that includes Sonny Rhodes, Jimmy Vaughan, Colin James, Matt Guitar Murphy, Amos Garret and Tim Williams to name a few.

Inglewood's Sunfest

• When: August 2nd, 2014 (11am to 5pm)

• Where: Inglewood

• Cost: FREE

The Lilac Festival to the beltline and Salsa Festival to Kensington is what the Sunfest Festival is to Inglewood; a fun and exciting one day event that brings out everything from street performers and local musicians to never-seen before merchant goods and much, much more.

Join more than 30,000 people who come from all over Calgary on August 2nd to enjoy all that this family-friendly festival has to offer!

Chasing Summer Music Festival

• When: August 8th to August 9th, 2014

• Where: Fort Calgary

• Cost: $99 to $149, $5000+ for VIP Cabana

If you love electronic dance music (EDM), then you'll love the intense line-up of international DJ stars at this year's Chasing Summer Music Festival.

DJ Tiesto, Hardwell, Sander Van Doorn, Adventure Club, Andy Moor, Dzeko & Torres, Arnej and Ian Bluestone are only some of who will be playing at Western Canada's largest electronic dance music festival this August.

With a downtown location, it makes it that much easier to enjoy the rest of what our city centre has to offer before and after the daily festival performances. Check it out!

Chinatown Street Festival

• When: August 9th, 2014

• Where: Chinatown - 3rd Avenue and 1st Street SE

• Cost: FREE

This one day event should not be missed as it is one of the best ways to experience the rich Chinese culture found in our beloved Chinatown.

From live dragon dance performances to martial arts demonstrations, kids playgrounds to putting challenges, street merchants to food vendors and even some hidden gems along the way, the whole day is just jam packed with tons of fun family activities and events!

Arrive early enough and you may just land a good seat for one of the spectacular shows put on throughout the day.

Marda Gras

• When: August 10th, 2014

• Where: Marda Loop

• Cost: Free

One of Calgary's most vibrant inner city districts will soon be hosting its very own festival called "Marda" Gras.

With a unique theme based on the famous Mardi Gras festival in New Orleans, expect to experience some of that which you would at the original party including a colourful theme, beaded necklaces, live music and entertainment, delicious foods and much, much more.

Don't miss this one of a kind festival on August 10th, 2014!

Calgary Reggae Festival Society

• When: August 14th to August 16th, 2014

• Where: Shaw Millennium Park - 1220 9th Avenue SW

• Cost: $20 to $40 per day, children 12 and under FREE

Feel like channeling your inner Rastagarian spirit this summer? If so, there are few better places to do it other than the Calgary Reggae Festival Society.

Featuring some of the best local and national reggae talents, the festival is a celebration of epic proportions that is not only fun, but also promotes local reggae music and artists at the same time.

Oh, we almost forgot to mention the unique reggae food and culture that you'll also experience if you choose to take a trip down to Shaw Millennium Park for the festival.

Opera in the Village

• When: August 14th to August 23rd, 2014

• Where: East Village, RiverWalk Plaza, Confluence Way & 5th Street SE

• Cost: Opera - $35 to $100, Festival = FREE

Calgary's future festival hub is heating up this August with Canada's first professional outdoor opera festival.

New additions to this year's edition includes a massive top-tent with a 900 person seating capacity that will showcase two different opera performances: Candide and Hansel & Gretel.

The first, a "timeless masterpiece" performed by national opera stars and live orchestra. The second, more inclined for the family as children and youth may be already familiar with the story of Hansel & Gretel.

Let's not forget the carnival ambiance and street performers such as stilt walkers, fire breathers, magicians, jugglers and much, much more that will make Opera in the Village the place to be!

Expo Latino Festival

• When: August 23rd to August 25th, 2014

• Where: Princes Island Park - 698 Eau Claire Avenue SW

• Cost: $30 to $45 per day, seniors and children under 12 are free

No worries if you missed the Fiestaval Latin Festival in July because the Expo Latino Festival has got you covered!

Representing 22 different nations from around the world, the eclectic festival delivers an experience of learning and uncovering things you may not have known about Latin culture through music, dance and other celebrations.

Apart from the music, make sure to check out the food and art market as you never know what magical piece of art of delicious new food lays in await.

GlobalFest

• When: August 14th to August 23rd, 2014

• Where: Elliston Park - 285, 2323 32nd Avenue NE

• Cost: $7.50 to $4

Located at Elliston Park in the deep northeast, a perfectly safe site for firework displays, GlobalFest amazes year after year with its explosive fireworks shows synced to some of the best tunes from feature countries.

Every year GlobalFest picks a line-up of five countries or so and uses music from them to create themes which change every night the festival is on. One day might be the United States, the next, Brazil or China.

Throw in the wide diversity of cultural vendors, foods and other nifty street merchants and you have one of the best summer festivals around!

I Love Calgary

With only less than a few short months left of summer, I will definitely be heading out to at least two of these awesome Calgary Festivals in August 2014. Also be sure to check out these Best Calgary Summer Activities today!

What are your favourite August festivals? Leave us a comment below and let us know your favourite festival experiences from past, present or what you hope to change in the local festival scene in the years to come!

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