Servus Calgary Marathon, May 26. Photo credit Angela Burger
Jane’s Walk
Named after urbanist and activist Jane Jacobs, Jane’s Walks offer a way to learn more about the city through free guided and self-guided walking tours running from May 3 to 5. There are tons of walks to choose from this year, including one exploring front yard art and installations in Crescent Heights, a public art walk in East Village, a birding walk by the McKenzie Towne Pond and more. Visit janeswalk.calgaryfoundation.org for more information and a full list of walks.
FascinAsian Film Festival
Back from May 2 to 5, this film festival “celebrates Asian contributions to the film and media landscape and aims to showcase the talents of Asian-Canadian and Asian-American artists in film.” There are a variety of cool events to check out, including a free screening of the 2023 film Past Lives, an author panel moderated by Ins Choi, the creator of CBC TV show Kim’s Convenience, and an awards banquet at Chinese Culture Centre Cuisine. Visit fascinasian.ca for more information and tickets.
East Side Dance Festival
Running since 2013, the East Side Dance Festival is dedicated to breaking down barriers that may prevent students from pursuing dance. It also provides opportunities for performances, training and mentorship. Don’t miss this year’s festival on May 9 and 10 as students from 17 Calgary schools demonstrate their dance skills at the University of Calgary Theatre. Visit eastsidedancefestival.ca for more information and tickets.
Okotoks Dawgs
Season Opener
Calgary may not have its own baseball team, but you can make the short drive to Okotoks to see the Okotoks Dawgs in action this spring and summer. Cheer on the 2023 Western Canadian Baseball League champions on May 24 as the team opens its 2024 season against the Brooks Bombers at Seaman Stadium. Visit dawgsbaseball.ca for more information and tickets.
Calgary Book Sale and Calgary Reads Big Book Sale
If you love reading, you’re in luck — there are two huge used book sales taking place in Calgary this month in support of worthy causes. First up is the Calgary Book Sale put on by RESET Society of Calgary at Crossroads Market from May 2 to 5 and May 10 to 12. The money raised will go towards RESET’s EXIT Program, which helps women impacted by sexual exploitation and sex trafficking. You can also shop at the Calgary Reads Big Book Sale this month, which runs at the Calgary Curling Club from May 10 to 20. This sale is put on by the Rotary Club of Calgary in support of childhood literacy. Both sales are celebrating their 20th anniversaries this year, and shoppers can expect more than 100,000 books to choose from at each sale. Visit resetcalgary.ca/calgarybooksale/ and bigbooksale.ca for more information.
Party Time
In Party Time, Decidedly Jazz Danceworks takes the idea of a house party and turns it into an incredible dance production complete with music from a live band. Catch one of the performances at the DJD Dance Centre from April 25 to May 12. Visit decidedlyjazz.com for more information and tickets.
Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert
This month, the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and Calgary International Film Festival bring a fresh spin to the 1977 film Star Wars: A New Hope. During three screenings at the Jubilee Auditorium on May 17 and 18, the orchestra will be playing the out-of-this-world score live as the film unfolds. Visit calgaryphil.com for more information and tickets.
Otafest
This celebration of Japanese anime and pop culture is back at the Telus Convention Centre from May 10 to 12. The festival promises plenty of fun with events like anime screenings, an exhibitor hall, gaming tournaments, a Sketch Drive where you can get your portrait done and more. Visit otafest.com for more information and tickets.
Calgary Black Film Festival
Now in its fourth year, the Calgary Black Film Festival presents films from around the world that highlight Black filmmakers and stories. The films are available to watch in-person and online from May 24 to 28. All-access passes and individual tickets are available now. Visit calgaryblackfilm.com for more information and tickets.
Look Gala: Dada Ball
Drawing inspiration from the dada movement, this year’s Look Gala in support of Contemporary Calgary promises to be a “mind-stretching pastiche” of entertainment, fashion and art.
With several tiers of ticket pricing meant to make the fundraiser accessible for all, since it started 10 years ago, Look has come to be known as a can’t-miss event in the arts scene, bringing together not only the usual gala set, but also the city’s glitterati and artists. The evening starts with a dinner, then moves on to a party and after-party all at Contemporary Calgary on May 25.
Visit contemporarycalgary.com for tickets.
Servus Calgary Marathon
The Servus Calgary Marathon, which is the oldest marathon in the country, hits a major milestone this year as it celebrates its 60th anniversary.
For this year’s race on May 26, runners can take part in distances of five km, 10 km, 21.1 km or 42.2 km, as well as a special, one-time 60 km ultra race. Racers also have the option to participate virtually from May 26 to June 23.
Visit calgarymarathon.com for more information.
