Summer may be winding down for another year, but that doesn’t mean that it’s time to head indoors just yet! There’s tons of family fun in Calgary this September, both inside and out. Cultural celebrations, fantastic festivals, mouthwatering food, and one-of-a-kind market finds are just a few things to look forward to in September in YYC – we can hardly wait!
Fall Family Fun in Calgary in September
Calgary Highland Games | calgaryhighlandgames.com
September 3 at 8 am
The Calgary Highland Games are an exciting experience you won’t want to miss! The day is jam-packed with various events and activities like piping and drumming, highland dancing, and Heavy Events such as the hammer throw, caber toss, stone put and tug of war. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors 65 and up and youth 13-17, and $5 for kids between 6 and 12. Children 5 and under are free!
Railway Days at Heritage Park | heritagepark.ca
September 3 – 4
Do you have a locomotive enthusiast in the family? If so, be sure to add Railway Days at Heritage Park to your calendar! The day is filled with train-themed exhibits and activities including demonstrations of a double-headed steam engine, caboose rides (at an extra cost), a turntable demonstration, handcar rides, model train displays, and more. Regular park admission is your ticket to this event.
Calgary Pride Parade | calgarypride.ca
September 4 at 11 am
Get your brightest colours and rainbow flags ready for a spectacular pride celebration! Calgary Pride Week takes place from August 26 until September 5 in celebration of the 2SLGBTQ+ Community. The annual parade kicks off at 11 am on Sunday, September 4 on 5th street SW and finishes in the East Village.
Spruce Meadows Masters | sprucemeadows.com
September 7 – 11
Join top riders and horses at Spruce Meadows for a variety of live events including horse jumping at the CP International and BMO Nations’ Cup. In addition, make sure you check out the fireworks, live music, and market featuring over 70 shops. Wednesday, September 7th is Sneak Preview Day, with reduced admission for everyone, and Thursday is Seniors’ Day, where all seniors receive free admission. Check the Spruce Meadows website for the daily competition schedules!
Calgary Rotary Ribfest | yycrotaryribfest.ca
September 9 – 11
Calgary Rotary Ribfest is a party that’ll have your mouth watering before you even get through the gate! In addition to sampling delicious barbecue from the five best ribbers around (that’s Pistol Pete’s, Billy’s BBQ, Buckeye BBQ, Blazin’ BBQ and Papa Jack’s), there’ll also be entertainment, raffles, cold drinks and more. Entry into the event is free, and all donation proceeds go to the Rotary Clubs of Calgary.
Chinatown Lantern Festival | visitcalgarychinatown.com
September 9
The Chinatown Lantern Festival is a free one-day event featuring light and lantern displays amidst local vendors, booths and some of your favourite food trucks. Head downtown to catch the lanterns in all of their glory, and take in the sights, tastes, smells and sounds of this fabulous cultural celebration.
Calgary Lucha and Taco Festival | mexifest.ca
September 18 at 11 am
If a trip to Mexico isn’t in the cards right now, Calgary’s Mexifest is definitely the next best thing! This family friendly multicultural arts and entertainment festival is bringing Calgarians a tase of Mexican culture with food and festivities like live bands and a wrestling ring with luchadores from Mexico! Amongst the entertainment will be authentic Mexican food and beverages, as well as an artisan market, kids area, and more.
2022 Heritage Inn International Balloon Festival | heritageinninternationalballoonfestival.com
September 21 – 25
Whether they’re in the sky or on the ground, there are few things quite as magical as a hot air balloon. The Heritage Inn International Balloon Festival brings the best of both worlds, with opportunities to see balloons take flight between September 22 and 25, and a chance to get up close and personal with inflated balloons at the Balloon Glow on Friday, September 23. The Balloon Glow is a free event that takes place in the evening, where the balloons are inflated using their burners without ever leaving the ground. If you’re hoping to catch a ride in a balloon, a limited number of tickets are available to purchase for $300 per person for folks 12 years and older. If you’d prefer to admire the balloons from the ground, check here for flight times (and watch for cancellations, as weather conditions need to be perfect for the balloons to launch).
Calgary International Film Festival | ciffcalgary.ca
September 22 – October 2
The Calgary International Film Festival returns for its 23rd year, showcasing over 175 multi-genre feature and short films from Canada and around the world. CIFF has become the largest film festival in Alberta and is the sixth-largest in Canada. It is also an Oscar-qualifying festival for short films, as well as a Canadian Screen Award Qualifying festival. Tickets can be purchased in bundles of 3 ($39), 8 ($102), 12 ($147) or 20 ($233) and can be used for in-cinema or online viewing.
Etsy Calgary Fall Market | etsycalgary.com
September 23-24
Etsy fans won’t want to miss this in-person market experience featuring many of their favourite local makers and sellers. Spruce up your house with home goods and art, add new items to your closet with fabulous fashion and jewelry, and grab a delicious snack while you browse! Admission is $5 at the door, and children 12 and under are free. 50% of Saturday’s ticket proceeds will be donated to the Women’s Centre of Calgary.
Beakerhead | beakerhead.com/
September 23 – 25
Beakerhead is back for 2022, and this year, the party is free! Head to TELUS Spark on September 23rd and Century Gardens downtown on the 24th and 25th for a sensory experience you won’t soon forget. Beakerhead is a mash-up of science, technology, engineering, art and math experiences, activities and exhibits intended to educate and exhilarate. It’s an incredible experience for everyone in the family – you won’t want to miss it!
What activities and events are you looking forward to this September in YYC? We’d love to hear them in the comments!
Tagged under: Things to do in Calgary,fall in calgary,calgary family fun,calgary in september
Category: events,attractions
