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| Calgary Festivals |
Festivals reflect the soul of the place and of the people. Visiting Calgary during any of their festivities will surely make the trip fruitful and educational. Learn about the Calgarians’ way of life through their festivals.
1. Calgary Winterfest
Join the Calgary Winterfest every February and understand why winter is a significant part of Calgary. Calgary’s climate may be unpredictable but one can be sure to see some snow droplets at anytime.
See how Calgarians have fun and entertain themselves and their visitors with winter events. Expect everything to be related to ice and snow from the cultural shows, sports and even shows for children. Since ice is abundant in Calgary, Winterfest would not be complete without the regular ice carving events, ice playgrounds and a display of Calgary’s various arts and crafts.
2. Calgary Exhibition & Stampede
The Stampede, which is being held from July 6 to 15, may just be the most popular festival in Calgary. This festival is a play-up of the city’s reputation as a cowboy town. No cowboy celebration would be complete unless there is a rodeo so expect a lot of rodeo events.
Visitors can have their fill of pancake breakfasts for free all throughout the city. If you want to enjoy Calgary at its best then visit the city in July because it is when the people get wild and carefree.
One of the well-attended events during the ten-day festival is the Stampede Parade. No matter what the weather is Calgarians will show up for this annual event even if it means donning blankets and parkas with matching umbrellas. The stampede parade has been likened to an annual pilgrimage that every Calgarian must go to, rain or shine or even snow!
If you want to witness the whole two-hour parade then you better be prepared to survive the battle versus at least 400 thousand fellow spectators who like you are also eyeing for the best spot! Some even camp out the night before to get the best spot and hold on to that!
Expect to see a lot of dances, band exhibitions and free entertainment during the parade. The parade has been led by the red and white attired Calgary Stampede Show Band for more than thirty years now from their first parade in 1971. Also expect a lot of horses on and off the roads!
If you are caught in the middle of the Stampede Parade then the best way to travel is of course through the C-Train as it operates before, during and after the Stampede parade.
3. Afrikadey
Afrikadey is celebrated from August 7 to 12 and true to its name it is a festival in honor of the African culture. This festival showcases the many contributions of Africa to Calgary and to the whole world.
This festival attracts a lot of people who wants to learn more about the African culture so venues for the activities are public areas like the Olympic Plaza, the Eau Claire Market as well as the local parks in Calgary.
4. Taste of Calgary
Relish the different cuisines offered by Calgary during this three-day food festival.
If you are a food fanatic then do schedule your trip to Calgary during this time because the best restaurants in the area outdo each other over food preparation every year.
This is also a venue for showcasing international cuisine including Asian and European cuisine. But food is not all that this festival offers and you can expect a variety of drink concoctions to flood the market!
5. WordFest
Words may not come easy for some people but those fond of words can consider the Wordfest their festival! The Wordfest is a literary event that celebrates the wonders of words. This is actually a must for writers who want to participate in the various literary workshops and poetry readings held from October 9 to October 14.
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