Calgary Events: April 30-May 6

Beer festival, bustling book sale, bike swap, and markets galore

Author

Krista Sylvester
April 30, 2024

In partnership with

Happy Tuesday, friends. With May upon us (and Mother’s Day and the May long weekend) there’s so much to do this month despite the snowy weather. Whether you love this newsletter or think we could make it better, we’d love to know what you think with a review down below. If you know of an upcoming event, send it to [email protected].

Editor’s note: We do our best to provide the most updated information but we encourage you to check ahead of time in case there have been changes to the event details.

A quick peek at next week

🎉 Eau Claire Market Farewell Celebration: Bid a heartfelt farewell to Eau Claire Market with live music and dynamic buskers and then stroll through the market’s vendors. May 11 at Eau Claire Market.

⛳️ The Men’s Expo: A weekend trade show featuring vendors and sports, outdoors, recreation, health and wellness, and so much more! May 11 and 12 at Stampede Park’s BMO Centre.

❤️ Mother’s Day events: Celebrate all things mom next week with a variety of events around the city to keep the family busy. May 12 at various locations.

On our radar

⛸️ Stars on Ice: This world-class ice skating extravaganza features some of the most accomplished and renowned figure skaters, including Patrick Chan, Elvis Stojko, and more. May 10 at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

🐐 Goat Yoga at Granary Road: Goat Yoga takes place rain or shine, so bring your mat and camera to flow through some relaxing moves along with some cute goats. The Granary Road Park Admission fee is included with the Goat Yoga pass. Book early—this event sells out! May 12 at Granary Road.

Just announced

🎸 Calgary Stampede Coca-Cola stage lineup: The main stage lineup has been announced and features headliners such as G-Eazy, The Beaches, Metric, Billy Talent, Orville Peck, and more. July 5-14 at the Calgary Stampede.

Happening this week and weekend

Thursday-Saturday | Various times | Crossroads Market

Book lovers assemble! With over 100,000 books, the Calgary Book Sale raises up to $140,000 annually and is one of the largest book sales in Western Canada. Check it out this weekend and next.

Friday and Saturday | Various times | Stampede Park BMO Centre

Calgary International Beerfest is not only Canada’s largest beer festival, it has grown to be one of the top five biggest and best beer festivals with more than 200 craft breweries and distilleries to showcase over 700 types of beers, spirits, ciders, and meads.

Saturday | Various times | Max Bell arena

Chris and Laura didn’t feel safe buying or selling bikes online so they founded and funded the Alberta Bike Swap to provide a safe place to buy, sell, and donate bicycles. Learn more on Thursday in our regular newsletter.

The Alberta Mycological Society is hosting a membership and donation drive at The Artist Lounge where attendees can enjoy an assortment of mushroom based dishes and cocktails while learning about the culinary and cultural significance of fungi and seeing beautiful mushroom art. [$53]

Future of the City Festival | Tuesday | 6:30-9:30pm

Celebrate the diverse tapestry and boundless potential of Calgary at Avenue's 2024 Festival where experts, creatives, and engaged citizens come together to envision and shape the city's vibrant future. [$17]

The Gin vs. Tequila Showdown | Wednesday | 6:30-9:30pm

Join the Last Best Brewing & Distilling and Gringo Street to sample a variety of handcrafted gins and tequilas with food pairings while deciding which spirit reigns supreme in a night of friendly competition. [$60]

Matthew Good concert | Wednesday | 7pm

Musician Matt Good and his band with special guest Vilivant entertain audiences in an intimate setting for a night.

Take advantage of Free First Thursdays at the Contemporary Calgary Arts Society and get to see the opening night of a new exhibition that offers a diverse array of pieces covering decades of artistic practice including paintings, sculptures, and photography. [Free with RSVP]

FascinAsian Film Festival  | Thursday-Sunday | Various times

The 2024 FascinAsian Film Festival celebrates and highlights Asian contributions to the film and media landscape while showcasing the talents of Asian-Canadian and Asian-American artists in film. Most events are free to attend and the film premiere of Ru happens Friday evening. [Movie tickets $15]

Rundle College Presents Little Women | Thursday-Sunday | 7pm

Rundle College gladly presents a student-led performance of the classic story, Little Women by Louisa May Alcott and adapted by Scott Davidson taking place at the beautiful La Cite des Rocheuses theatre. [$20]

Jane's Walk Festival | Friday-Sunday | Various times

Jane’s Walk is a global event that takes place each May and encourages Calgarians of all ages to participate in the festivities by taking in 50+ colourful murals located downtown, finding poetic inspiration in nature and enjoying the high-flying feats of stilt-walkers. [Free]

Wine: A Pointed Discussion | Friday | 7-9pm

Join the Oakridge Co-op Wine Spirits Beer for an evening of wine and discussion where participants dive into the details about what wine critics are looking for, followed by an opportunity to taste and rate wines using this new knowledge. [$28]

The talented Jennifer Berezan returns to Calgary at the Southwood United Church for an intimate performance and a deep songbook that now covers 10 album releases and accompanied by gifted artist Chris Webster. [$34]

Mother's Day Bouquet Workshop | Saturday | 1-3pm

Get hands on in this workshop where participants will explore eco-friendly techniques and work with local blooms to design stunning spring arrangements and learn about local flower farming. [$82]

SoulSpeak Poetry Night | Saturday | 7pm

Coming together to share stories, poetry, music, and more at King Solomon's Kitchen, this in-person gathering intended for genuine connection promises to be a transformative experience for all who attend. [$23]

Spring Matriarch Market | Saturday-Sunday | 10am-5pm

The Spring Matriarch Market taking place at the Kerby Centre Gymnasium is the perfect place to find unique treasures from handmade crafts to vintage finds while supporting local Indigenous vendors. [$7]

The Perlin Foundation for Wellbeing invites Calgarians to relax and play games while learning about brain health at science fair stations and connecting with local health partners outside of a referral or a crisis situation. [Free]

This annual spring sale features over 50 pottery artists who bring their handmade creations to the public for a family-friendly, accessible event in the spirit of creativity and community.  [Free to attend]

Designed for kids aged 4-12 this workshop involves planting and clay sculpting using inspiration from an exhibition by Derek Liddington titled, “The trees weep, the mountain still, the bodies rust” and is a great way for children to learn about modern and contemporary art. [Free with registration]

Join Ranchman’s for a night filled with fine country music and delicious food and prepare to get swept away by the exceptional talent of Lisa Brokop and Paul Jefferson. [Tickets starting at $53] 

Steve Taddy at the Comedy Cave | Monday | 7:30pm 

Sit back and relax as Vancouver based comedian Steve Taddy imparts his wisdom on marriage, shares his disdain for pseudoscience and takes viewers on a journey through his eccentric world view on the iconic Comedy Cave stage. [Tickets starting at $16]

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Ongoing

Celebrate all things food and drink with this diverse festival in the most beautiful part of the province. Book a hotel and make it a getaway.

Da Vinci The Exhibition at TELUS Spark | Until May 5 | TELUS Spark

Go beyond the canvas of Leonardo da Vinci's life, research, and art, as you explore more than 65 life-size inventions and more than 20 fine art studies and captivating displays.

Murder at the Park: Death Checks In: | Until May 19 | Heritage Park

Five individuals gather at Lucky Guest Hotel, where fate, destiny, and murder intertwine in “Death Checks In!” Witness the murder over a three-course dinner. Question suspects, solve the case, and win a prize.

Polar Bear Breakfast | Until August 25 | Calgary Zoo

Bring your family and friends down for a fun and educational morning at the zoo with this exclusive before-hours viewing opportunity of the Wild Canada zone with a side of polar bear facts.

Fly through a technicolour nebula, kick up dust on the moon, and witness Saturn’s rings up close in this out-of-this-world immersive experience. Explore the galaxy through the James Webb telescope with this unique space exploration encounter.

That’s it!

Thanks for checking in this week. Hope you found something good to add to your calendar. Thanks for letting us be your tour guide! See you next week? Same time, same place.

✌️ TWIC (from the Calgary Citizen team)

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