20+ Best Things to Do in Calgary this August (2019)
- August 1, 2019
- By Cody Battershill
20+ Best Things to Do in Calgary this August (2019)
What are some of the best activities and events in Calgary happening this August of 2019? From Cirque du Soleil to festivals galore, there's a little bit of something for anyone to take part of in Calgary this month.
Without further adieu, here is our list of the 20+ best things to do in Calgary this August. Leave a comment and let us know what your favourite activity or event is and we'll add it below!
Calgary Fringe Festival
- When – August 2nd – 10th
- Where – Multiple venues
- Website – Calgary Fringe Festival
The Fringe is an uncensored, non-juried theatre festival meant to bring together established and emerging artists alike and allow them to express themselves however they please.
If you’re a comedy buff, put this on your “best things to do in August in Calgary” list. You’ll have a great time at one of the excellent venues chosen for this year’s event, like The Nash and Vertigo Theatre for example.
Inglewood Sunfest
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- When – August 3rd, 11am – 6pm
- Where – 9th Avenue SE, a.k.a. Atlantic Avenue
- Website – Inglewood Sunfest
This event is up there with the Lilac Festival as one of the best things to do in Calgary if you have only one single day to spare. What the Lilac is to the Beltline, Sunfest is to Inglewood.
Festivities are quite similar between Lilac and Sunfest as well, with over 200 different vendors ranging from artisan and imported goods to food trucks and stands and everything in between.
Calgary Stampeders Football Game
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- When – August 3rd & 17th
- Where – McMahon Stadium
- Website – Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders face off against their bitter provincial rivals the Edmonton Eskimos on August 3rd, then take on the Montreal Alouettes on the 17th.
After winning the Grey Cup last year, the Stamps are currently on a two-game winning streak and tied for second place with the Eskimos.
Saturday’s game is bound to be an intense one; whoever wins will come out on top with only a handful of games left in the season!
Chasing Summer Music Festival
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- When – August 3rd – 4th
- Where – Max Bell Centre – 1001 Barlow Trail SE
- Website – Chasing Summer Music Festival
Chasing Summer’s DJ lineup for 2019 may just be its best one yet.
W&W, Above and Beyond, The Chainsmokers, Steve Aoki, Aleso, KSHMR, Slushii, Elephante, Infected Mushroom, Vanic and Spencer Brown are just some of the artists playing at this year’s event.
Festival goers, remember to get your bracelets at the festival grounds before entering the main line.
Saturdays in C-Square – East Village
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- When – August 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th, 1pm – 4pm
- Where – Celebration Square, East Village, 4th Street & 7th Avenue SE
- Website - Saturdays in C-Square - Studio Bell
C-Square is hosting a family-friendly musical event every Saturday in August featuring live performances from local artists.
Sit down and relax on the curved stretch of wooden bench while enjoying the view of the small stage, and enjoy what these talented performers have to show!
Taste of Calgary Food Festival
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- When – August 8th – 11th, 10am – 11pm
- Where – Eau Claire Festival Plaza
- Website – Taste of Calgary
Taste of Calgary is one of our favourite food festivals in the city. A wide range of cuisines including Asian, tapas, Mexican, Western, Italian and everything in between can be found down at Eau Claire Plaza.
Make sure you scour every corner of the festival grounds. You just don’t know what kind of food you’ll find next. We recommend trying to leave some room for the next snack!
Calgary Dragon Boat Race & Festival
- When – August 9th – 11th
- Where – North Glenmore Park
- Website – Calgary Dragon Boating Society
Spectators will be out in full force for this year’s Calgary Dragon Boat Race & Festival. Free admission includes access to the beer gardens, food trucks, family fun zone and cultural entertainment throughout the day.
Special events include the Paddlers Kickoff Party on Friday, Breast Cancer Ceremony on Saturday and Dragon Boat Charity Race on Sunday. As one of the best things to do in Calgary this August, you shouldn’t miss it!
Calgary Korean Day Festival
- When – August 10th, 10am – 6pm
- Where – West Hillhurst Community Association and Park
- Website - Korean Day Festival
Experience a little piece of Korean culture at the 16th Annual Korean Day Festival being held on August 10th, 2019.
Expect to have a great time watching Taekwondo demonstrations, playing various folk games and participating in face painting and play areas with the kids.
Don’t forget to try some delicious Korean food like beef bulgogi or Gang-Jeon chicken. Yummy!
Calgary Japanese Festival “Omatsuri”
- When – August 10th, 10am – 5pm
- Where – Max Bell Centre – 1001 Barlow Trail SE
- Website – Omatsuri - Japanese Festival YYC
The 9th Annual Japanese Festival “Omatsuri” is on at Max Bell on Saturday, August 10th from 10am to 5pm.
The word “Omatsuri” is a Japanese saying for “traditional festival,” which means you’ll get to experience a little bit of Japan right here in Calgary.
Don’t miss out on authentic dance and song, martial arts demonstrations, crafts and games, sake-tasting and beer gardens, and heaps of Japanese cuisine.
We recommend using the Max Bell LRT Station to get to and from the festival as parking is very limited!
Marda Gras Street Festival
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- When – August 11th, 10am – 5pm
- Where – Marda Loop
- Website – Marda Gras Festival
Marda Loop’s streetscapes come alive on August 11st for the annual Marda Gras Street Festival.
Traverse up and down 33rd Avenue while exploring countless artisan vendors, food trucks and a street busker or two.
Catch live entertainment at one of four stages throughout the event, and maybe catch the pet pageant with the kids in between crafts and games.
The kids love this one, don’t let them miss out!
GlobalFest Fireworks Festival
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- When – August 16th – 25th
- Where – Elliston Park
- Website – GlobalFest YYC
GlobalFest is the most epic annual artistic and cultural celebration the city has to offer.
Over the 10-day event, check out performance stages, cultural cuisines and pavilions, food trucks, artisan shops at the night market and so much more.
Elliston Park opens its gates at 6pm nightly. Just remember that a good portion of 17th Avenue SE is closed off so that festival goers can make their way to and from the park safely.
In other words, make sure to find a parking spot well in advance or plan your public transit route before things get going!
Summer Feast Food Festival
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- When – August 16th – 25th
- Where – Various venues
- Website – Summer Feast YYC
Get ready for one of the best food festivals in August called Summer Feast where you’ll have a chance to try delicious culinary creations from some of Calgary’s top local chefs.
Take your pick of any three-course meal from participating restaurants for lunch or dinner at a price of anywhere between $25 to $65 per person!
Some participating restaurants include Anju, Alforno, Brasserie, Bridgette Bar, Cucina, Foreign Concept, LuLu Bar, Pigeonhole, Royale, Teatro, Vendome and Winebar. Wow!
LUZIA: Cirque du Soleil in Calgary
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- When – August 16th – September 22nd
- Where – Stampede Park (Lot #6)
- Website - LUZIA - Cirque du Soleil
Any Cirque du Soleil show is bound to be one of the best things to do in Calgary - in August, or any other month a world-class entertainment group is in town.
Recognized world-wide, Cirque du Soleil has shows around the globe including in Las Vegas, Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, Mexico City, New York, Denver and Miami to name a few.
LUZIA showcases some of the world’s top gymnasts, dressed as surrealistic animals on a journey through an imaginary Mexico which is filled with sights and sounds from both tradition and modernity.
Don’t miss this one folks… tickets are going fast!
Carifest Caribbean Festival
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- When – August 16th – 17th
- Where – Olympic Plaza
- Website – Carifest Calgary Carribean Festival
Another one of the best things to do in Calgary this August is Carifest, a celebration of Caribbean culture in the heart of the Beltline that sees more than 20,000 visitors annually!
Eat authentic cuisines, watch cultural performances, shop artisan wares and enjoy family-friendly activities while soaking up some sun down at Olympic Plaza, one of Calgary’s best festival hubs!
Country Thunder Music Festival
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- When – August 16th – 18th
- Where – Prairie Winds Park
- Website – Country Thunder, AB
If you love country music, you’ll want to check out the Country Thunder Music Festival on at least one of the three days it’s on for.
Enjoy some of the best songs from the best artists including Jason Aldean, Miranda Lambert and Jake Owen, Lauren Alaina and Terri Clark to name just a few.
Expo Latino Festival
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- When – August 16th – 18th
- Where – Prince’s Island Park
- Website – Expo Latino Festival
The 23rd annual Expo Latino Festival is going to heat up the grass at Prince’s Island Park. This downtown park on the Bow River is arguably the best festival hub in the city.
This year, Expo Latino will unite with the International Salsa Festival to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the Salsa music genre.
Apart from lots of entertaining dance, you’ll find food trucks and vendors, artisan shops and services and family-friendly activities and events throughout the park.
Don’t forget to stop by the river for a relaxing time!
Franco Festival Calgary
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- When – August 17th, 11am – 8pm
- Where – Olympic Plaza
- Website – Franco Festival YYC
The Franco Festival features foods, crafts, entertainment and so much more from various countries in Europe, Africa and America.
Founded in 2011, the festival was created by a non-profit organization looking promote awareness of diversity in society as well as socio-cultural and economic integration of different ethnicities.
Find a wide variety of French-inspired cuisines down at the Franco Festival! We love the food, and the cultural experience this one brings to our city!
Chinatown Street Festival – Experience the Silk Road
- When – August 17th, 11am – 7pm
- Where – Chinatown District
- Website - Experience the Silk Road
Chinatown comes alive on August 17th for the 18th annual Chinatown Street Festival. This multi-cultural event has food, dance, music and heaps more including family-friendly activities and events.
This year, the festival will represent a broader range of cultures, hence the new name “Silk Road” which historically was a major trading artery between China, the Middle East and Europe.
Calgary Pride
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- When – August 23rd – September 2nd
- Where – Various venues
- Website – Calgary Pride
Tons of fun is to be had during the Calgary Pride’s 11 days of LGBTQ equality and diversity, happening at various venues from August 23rd to September 2nd!
Join in on the rainbow-coloured festivities which include a massive parade, family-friendly park activities and club / nightlife events.
Iron Maiden: The Legacy of the Beast Tour
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- When – August 31st, 7:30pm
- Where – Scotiabank Saddledome
- Website - Iron Maiden Tour, Calgary
Hard rock fans will be thrilled to know that our list of best things to do in Calgary this August includes an Iron Maiden concert!
With special guests The Raven Age, Iron Maiden is an old school heavy rock band formed in 1975 in the United Kingdom.
Some of the group’s best songs include Virus, Be Quick or Be Dead, The Clairvoyant, Man on the Edge and Fear of the Dark to name a few.
New Swimming Pool at Hotel Arts
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- When – Open daily from 11am
- Where – Hotel Arts – 119 12th avenue SW
- Website – Hotel Arts
Hotel Arts has just re-opened its newly renovated swimming pool! Catch a drink from the Yellow Door Bistro or Raw Bar, and sit back and relax poolside in the heart of the Beltline.
Entrance to the pool is $10, and on a nice day – and with the nice new patio furniture – it’s easy to spend a full afternoon just chilling and relaxing at Hotel Arts.
Catch a Swim at Sikome Lake
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- When – Daily, 10am – 6:30pm
- Where – Sikome Lake
- Website - Sikome Lake Aquatic Facility
One of Calgary’s best public lakes is open for summer from 10am to 6:30pm daily. Located in Fish Creek Provincial Park, this man-made lake is one of the only soft-sand beaches in Calgary, and its just a few bucks to get in.
Grab your lawn chairs, air floaties and picnic gear and check out Sikome Lake! It’s a lot of fun for the entire family, and your friends will love it too. Just remember no alcohol allowed – this is a public aquatic facility for all ages.
Take a Trip to Canmore + Banff
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- When – anytime
- Where – anytime
The beautiful foothills and Rocky Mountains are just west of Calgary and have endless activities to do during August.
Canmore and Banff are two very popular mountain towns that have won the hearts of Calgarians through-and-through.
If you’re looking for some of the best things to do in Calgary this August of 2019 outside of the city, you’ll want to check out what’s going on in these two towns.
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