10 Fun Things To Do in Calgary This February
It seems like winter is here to stay in Calgary, but that doesn’t mean that you and your family should stay bundled up at home. There are plenty of great activities happening around the city in February that you won’t want to miss, so throw on an extra pair of woolly socks and get going!
1. Potted Potter February 5-18 at the Martha Cohen Theatre
This hilarious 70 minute play will have everyone in your family from age 6 and up laughing themselves off of their broomsticks. All 7 Harry Potter books are the inspiration for this parody that includes iconic characters, magical costumes, hilarious songs and more, all acted out by a cast of two! Potted Potter has received rave reviews all over the world since it began in 2006. Tickets will be gone quicker than you can say “Evanseco”, so be sure to conjure some up before it’s too late! artscommons.ca
2. CECA Winter Festival – February 16, 1-3 PM at 1150 Everridge Dr. SW
Gather up the whole family to check out this Winter Festival hosted by The Calgary Evergreen Community Association. With skating, horse-drawn wagon rides, winter activities, hot chocolate and a snow sculpture contest there’s something fun for everything to take part in! Don’t forget to do a little bit of target practice at home, because if you enter their puck tossing competition and get your puck the closest to the middle, you’ll take home 50% of the pot!
3. Glow Downtown Winter Light Festival February 14-18, Downtown
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With February already feeling cold and gloomy, this festival is sure to brighten up everyone’s spirits. The Glow Winter Light Festival will feature multiple light art installations at different locations downtown, as well as interactive light displays, food trucks, entertainment and activities. The best part about this event it that it’s free! Olympic Plaza, Brookfield Plaza and Harley Hotchkiss Gardens will be the three central hubs of activity, with installations scattered between 5 St SW and MacLeod Trail S. There will be different events featured each day, including the ‘Love Lights’ event on Valentine’s Day, a technology infused fashion show on February 15, a DJ dance party filled with glowing jellyfish and pulsing waves of light on the 16th, a live concert featuring acts like The Static Shift and JJ Shiplett on the 17th, and a Family Skating Party on February 18th.
4. Village Square Leisure Centre Fantastic Family Fair and Skate – February 20 from 6-8 PM
Village Square Leisure is hosting a party you’ll definitely want to mark on your calendar! With a bounce house, face painting, a jungle gym, public skating (until 8:30 pm) and story time at the library, you’ll have plenty of activities to keep the kids busy and get them tuckered out before bed time. There will also be a resource fair and 50% off admission to the pool and the weight room.
5. Block Heater – February 21-23
The Calgary Folk Music Festival is back with their 4th Annual Block Heater Music Festival! 28 artists will be performing over the course of three days at Festival Hall, Studio Bell, King Eddy and the New Central Library. Tickets can be purchased for individual afternoons or evenings, and kids under 12 get in free!
6. World of Wheels – February 22-24 from 3-9 PM Friday, 10 AM – 9 PM Saturday and 10 AM – 6 PM Sunday at the BMO Centre
If you have car lovers in your family, you won’t want to miss the World of Wheels show at the BMO Centre! Tickets can be purchased at the gate ($18 for Adults, $6 for Kids 6-12 and Free for Kids 5 and under) or for a $2 discount at Auto Value Parts Stores. Amongst hundreds of incredible custom cars, hot rods, trucks and motorcycles, you can also catch a glimpse of celebrities like WWE Superstar Rey Mysterio, Dennis Gage from ‘My Classic Car’ and Catherine Bach from ‘The Dukes of Hazzard’!
7. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in Concert – February 28, March 1, March 2 – 7:30 PM at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
My husband and I had the chance to see Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone performed by the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra last year and it was nothing short of magical. This year’s performance will follow the second film in the series and is sure to be just as incredible. Take your seat in the Jubilee Auditorium to watch Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets as the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra performs John Williams’ score along with the film in its entirety. It’s hard to believe that the music is being performed live as it is integrated so seamlessly with the film, and it can sometimes be hard to decide whether to focus on the performers or the film, but it truly is the best of both worlds. Make sure to wear your finest Hogwarts gear, as people really get dressed up for the occasion!
8. Telus Spark’s CIRCUS! – Science Under the Big Top – Begins February 2 until June 9!
Over 20 exhibits filled with hands-on puzzles, mysteries and activities will make you feel like you’re a circus performer yourself! Try your balance on the high wire, test some feats of strength, check out a flea circus, visit Clown Alley, try on circus attire in the Costume Area, and more! This special exhibit is included with your General Admission to Telus Spark, which means you can also spend time in the Brainasium, the Being Human and Earth & Sky Exhibits, and everyone’s favourites – the Open Studio and Creative Kids Museum.
9. YYC Hot Chocolate Fest – All Month!
It’s the tastiest time of the year! From February 1-28, Calgarians will be the judge of who makes the city’s best cup of hot chocolate. Be sure to print off a copy of the 2019 passport or download the app to see how many cups you can collect in February – there are 68 different businesses in the running, so you’ve definitely got your work cut out for you! Once you’ve sampled some of your favourites, visit the website to vote on who you think should take home the bragging rights for Calgary’s Best Cocoa.
10. Calgary Zoo Penguin Walk – All Month!
If you’ve never had a chance to walk with the penguins at the Calgary Zoo, it’s time to bundle up and give it a try! This event is dependent on weather conditions, but as long as the temperatures are good, it’s not too windy, and the penguins are in the mood to march, they’ll be on the move daily at 11 a.m. Be sure to check the zoo’s homepage and social media channels prior to the event to make sure it’s scheduled to take place. Our family absolutely loved taking part in this activity with our two-year old, and once the penguin walk was over, we had the day to explore the rest of the zoo!
