Arts in Action

Take a voyage down the rabbit hole (or gopher hole, if you will) into your child’s imagination. Let them treat you to daring feats of bravery, elaborate costumes and hilarious antics at the Calgary International Children’s Festival.

Calgary’s only arts festival designed specifically for kids, the Calgary International Children’s Festival sets up camp downtown from May 26–29. Designed for children of all ages, the festival showcases original dance, drama and music from the four corners of the globe.

Festival events are located inside the Epcor Centre for the Performing Arts (for ticketed performances) and outdoors at the adjacent Olympic Plaza (for free events). Festival organizers suggest the Olympic Plaza (open Tuesday to Friday, 9:30 am–2:30 pm and Saturday until 4:30) as a perfect stopover en route to, or from, ticketed performances.

Tickets cost $12.50 (kids two and under are free) and are available online or at the door. Consider planning your visit earlier in the week (particularly if you have preschoolers) to avoid the weekend crowds. And keep in mind that the key to a successful kids’ fest is to stick to age-appropriate performances. To save you a little time and reading, we’ve compiled a few best-bets of the festival.

Children 3–5
Outdoors: The staff at Calgary Young People’s Theatre will be performing 15-minute story adaptations designed for young audiences throughout the day in Olympic Plaza. Listen for the voices of Family Matters and Mother Goose, as well. This local, non-profit organization will be singing preschool songs your little one will love.

Indoors: Pekka is a half-hour, gentle puppet show about a young turtle on a quest and the friends she makes along the way. Kids need to move? Try Splash ‘N Boots. This rock concert for kids will get them up and shaking it in no time.

Children 6–8
Outdoors: It’s a paraffin treatment for kids! Wax Hands encourages children to create a contemporary sculpture by dipping their own hands into a vat of warm wax and adding colours. If wax is not their thing, go for clay. Qualico’s Clayground provides the clay while your child adds the artistry. Once completed, small sculptures can be stuck to a larger sculpture on-site.

Indoors: At Nightfall is a contemplative contemporary, dream-like dance performance about Auguste the shoemaker and his magical discovery. We also love ScrapArtsMusic (they played at the Closing Ceremonies of the Vancouver Olympics). This theatrical, dynamic, high-energy percussion concert features instruments sculpted from recycled materials.

If you have settled on a Saturday visit, consider adding the Calgary Family Transit Pass to your online ticket order. A family of four can travel all day for $11.50. Children under six are always free on transit, making it an economical option for weekdays as well.

And take a picnic. Or visit DeVille Luxury Coffee, or the Bistro at Art Central, for a family-friendly (and delicious) break.

Originality, creativity and imagination are all words we love to say (and write). Honour your own child at heart with a day to play downtown.