List of festivals in Calgary

The following is a list of annual festivals and cultural events that take place in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and the surrounding area:

Winter

*Twelve Days of Christmas (December)
*Zoolights (December/January)
*One Yellow Rabbit - High Performance Rodeo (January)
*International Festival of Animated Objects (January)
*Calgary Winter Festival (February)
*Rodeo Royal (March)
*$100 Film Festival (March)

pring

*Calgary International Spoken Word Festival (April)
*Visaki Mela (Punjabi Spring Harvest Festival) (May)
* [http://www.calgarychildfest.org Calgary International Children's Festival] (May)
*Lilac Festival (May)
*Fairy Tales International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival (May/June)
*Mosaic Cultural Festival (June)
*Carifest (June)
*The 'New' Calgary Jazz Festival (June)
*Calgary Greek Festival (June)
*Inglewood Sunfest (June)
*Ignite! Theatre-Arts Festival (June)
*Sled Island Music Festival (June) [ Cite web| url= http://www.sledisland.com | title= Sled Island Music Festival | accessdate=2008-08-07]

ummer

*Calgary Stampede (July)
*Calgary Turkish Festival [ [http://www.calgaryturkishfestival.com Calgary Turkish Festival - Home ] ] (July)
*Sun and Salsa Festival [ [http://www.visitkensington.com/sunsalsa] ] (July)
*Fiestaval [ [http://www.fiestaval.ca/ Fiestaval] ] (July)
*Chariot Festival of India (August)
*Folk Music Festival (July)

*Heritage Day (August)
*Taste of Calgary - Food & Drink Festival (August) [Cite web| url= http://www.tasteofcalgary.com | title= Taste of Calgary: Food & Drink Festival | accessdate=2008-08-07]
*Summerstock (August)
*Dragon Boat Festival (August)
*Marda Gras (August)
*Chinatown Street Festival (August)
*afrikadey (August)
*Calgary Fringe Festival [ [http://www.calgaryfringe.ca Calgary Fringe Festival ] ] (August)
*International Reggae Festival (August)
*GlobalFest - One World Festival and International Fireworks Competition (August)
*Expo Latino (August)
*Calgary International Blues Festival (August) [ Cite web| url= http://www.calgarybluesfest.com | title= Calgary Blues Festival | accessdate=2008-08-07]
*The C-Jazz CARNIVALE! (August-September) [Cite web| url= http://www.calgaryjazz.com/cjazzfestival.htm | title= Calgary Jazz | accessdate=2007-02-27]

Calgary Stampede

The city is famous for the Calgary Stampede, a very large agricultural fair and rodeo every July. The Stampede officially bills itself as "The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth". It features an internationally recognized rodeo competition, a midway, stage shows, agricultural competitions, chuckwagon races, First Nations exhibitions, and pancake breakfasts around the city, among other attractions. It is among the largest and most well known festivals in Canada. The event has a 96 year history.

The Calgary Stampede was inaugurated in 1912 by Guy Weadick, an American trick roper. Weadick wanted to put on a world-class rodeo event and Wild West show that would bring the best cowboys from across the continent. The first Stampede was the richest rodeo competition in North America with prize money totaling $20,000. It drew more than 100,000 spectators. In 1923, the Stampede was combined with the Calgary Exhibition and the chuckwagon races were added. In 2004, the rodeo prize money was doubled to $1 million to put the Stampede on par with other major rodeos such as the National Finals Rodeo.

In 2005, attendance at the 10-day rodeo and exhibition totalled 1,242,928, which set a new record. Attendance at the "Stampede Parade" (North America's second longest parade), which takes place downtown on opening day is usually somewhere between 300,000 and 400,000. During Stampede Week, many of the city's residents dress in country attire, and many businesses decorate their stores and offices in this "western" style.

Fall

*Calgary Highland Games (Labour Day Weekend)
*Barbecue on the Bow Festival (September)
*C-Jazz Festival (September)
*Heritage Park Old Time Fall Fair (September)
*Artcity - Festival of Art, Design and Architecture (September)
*Calgary International Film Festival (September / October)
*Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation "CIBC Run for the Cure" (October 5th, 2008)
*Wordfest: Banff Calgary International Writers Festival (October)
*Marda Loop Justice Film Festival

ee also

*Festivals in Alberta

References