Lights, City, Action

By day or by night, Calgary’s cityscape strikes an impressive pose against its backdrop of rolling foothills, Rocky Mountains and big Alberta sky. With an impressive array of museums, big-ticket musical events and some of Canada’s best restaurants, Calgary pulses endlessly with urban energy. Among Calgary’s must-see attractions:

Glenbow Museum
Combining a museum, art gallery, library and archives under one roof, Glenbow Museum boasts over a million artifacts and some 28,000 works of art in its vast collections. It is one of the largest museums in Canada.

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Jack Singer Concert Hall
One of North America’s most beautiful and acoustically acclaimed venues, Jack Singer Concert Hall is home of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra.

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Theatre Calgary
Theatre Calgary creates vital, insightful productions of classical and contemporary plays from the Canadian and international repertoires. Formed in 1968, Theatre Calgary now performs in Calgary’s Max Bell Theatre.

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Alberta Theatre Projects
Founded in 1972, Alberta Theatre Projects showcases recent Canadian and international playwriting successes, while the playRites Festival nurtures, develops and produces original material.

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Calgary Tower
Officially opened June 30, 1968, “The Tower” has become Calgary's most famous landmark. From its 525-foot-high Observation Deck (with a new glass floor) or its revolving restaurant, the Calgary Tower offers stunning 360° views of Calgary and its dramatic Rocky Mountain backdrop. For the 1988 Winter Olympic Games, a flame was installed atop the Tower, making it the World's Largest Olympic Torch.

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Calgary Zoo
Attractions Canada recently voted the Calgary Zoo the top outdoor site in Canada. It features more than 1,100 animals from around the world and an ever-expanding portfolio of innovative exhibits that allow guests to get up close and personal with the grizzly bears, wolves and Bengal tigers. Life-sized dinosaur models lurk in the badlands of the Prehistoric Park, and the more genteel setting of the Botanical Garden includes a butterfly garden.

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Fort Calgary
Fort Calgary brings history to life by telling the stories of the Mounted Police site, the settlement and the people of Calgary through dynamic interpretation and exciting exhibits.

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Canada Olympic Park
As the flagship site of the XV Olympic Winter Games, Canada Olympic Park is perhaps the most visible legacy of the 1988 Games. Situated 15 minutes from downtown, Calgary’s premiere recreational and sport learning centre is unique from most Olympic venues in that it continues to function as a multi-purpose competition, training and recreation area designed for year-round use by both athletes and the general public. A guided or self-guided Olympic Odyssey Tour of the Park includes visitor access to the Olympic Hall of Fame, Ice House (the world’s only indoor refrigerated track where world-leading sliding athletes practice the ever-important push start), Olympic Track and 90-metre ski jump tower – the highest point in Calgary.

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Heritage Park Historical Village
Experience the sights and sounds of life at the turn of the century in Canada’s largest living historical village. Ride the rails on a thundering steam train, watch the Blacksmith at his forge, enjoy freshly baked bread from the Alberta Bakery, cruise the reservoir on the paddlewheeler S.S. Moyie, and much more!

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Jubilee Auditorium
Built between 1955 and 1957, identical auditoriums were erected in Calgary and Edmonton as a memorial to Alberta's pioneers. Since 1957, the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium – one of Calgary’s foremost performing arts and community venues – has touched the lives of countless Albertans through stage performances, concerts, celebrations, community events and educational programs. It is also home to the Alberta Ballet and Calgary Opera.

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Alberta Ballet
Alberta Ballet is Canada's fourth largest dance company. Now in its 39th season, Alberta Ballet has a distinctive repertoire and performance quality, winning critical acclaim at home and internationally. Its dancers have earned a reputation for their exceptional versatility and artistic excellence.

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Olympic Oval
Another legacy of the 1988 Winter Olympics, the Olympic Oval at University of Calgary was North America’s first covered speed skating oval. Now a multi-sport facility recognized as one of the world’s premier competition and training venues, the Oval is the training centre for elite athletes from across Canada and around the world. As the site of 17 out of 30 world-record performances in long track speed skating, Calgary’s Olympic Oval has been dubbed the “fastest ice in the world.”

Spruce Meadows
One of the world’s great equestrian facilities is located in the rolling ranch lands just south of Calgary’s city limits. This sprawling site plays host to some of the world’s top show-jumping events. In fact, Spruce Meadows tournaments have attracted virtually every Olympic, World, European and National Show Jumping Champion. Four major competitions take place during the season, the biggest in mid-September. The facilities are also a year-round attraction for horse-lovers and aspiring competitive riders.

Calgary Folk Music Festival
Experience one of Canada’s hottest annual music events. Held each year in late July, Folk Fest is a four-day feast of acoustic folk, Celtic, world, blues, bluegrass, roots, alternative, country music and more. It’s all held outdoors, amidst the green lawns and trees of Prince’s Island Park. Past performers include Joan Baez, David Byrne, Joan Armatrading and countless others. The organizers also take pains to introduce new talent.