Fun Things to Do for Families in Calgary in December
The holiday festivities are in full swing this December in Calgary! Whether you’re looking to perfect your baking skills, need to get your shopping done, looking to find some holiday magic by way of twinkling lights or Santa visits, you’ve come to the right place! We’ve got a roundup of fun and exciting activities happening for families in Calgary this December – prepare to mark your calendars!
Family Fun in Calgary in December
Macaron 101 Baking Class at Ollia Macarons & Tea | byollia.com
December 2, 3, 9, 12, 17 & 18 at 810C 16th Ave SW
Are you looking to take your Christmas baking to the next level? Impress every recipient of this year’s confections with delicious homemade macarons from Ollia Macarons & Tea. Expert pastry chefs teach you the ever-elusive skill of macaron making and best of all, you get to take home your creations! I’ve had the chance to participate in this class and would definitely recommend it to anyone wanting to try their hand at this tasty technique!
Once Upon a Christmas | heritagepark.ca
Saturdays and Sundays, Dec. 7 – 22 at Heritage Park
Bundle up and head to Heritage Park for a Christmas celebration that’ll go down in history! Kids and grownups alike have come to love this annual tradition and all of the activities, entertainment, and treats that it provides. Enjoy outdoor activities like horse-drawn carriage rides, Christmas carollers, a children’s maze, and festive photo ops. Indoors you can check out shopping, Christmas crafts, cookie decorating, Santa visits, and more.
Granary Road’s Christmas Market | granaryroad.com
Saturdays & Sundays until December 15 at 226066 112 Street West, Foothills County
Take a bit of a drive outside the city and head to Granary Road to celebrate the holidays with Christmas carols, decorated trees, lights, and festive photos with Santa and the alpacas. Don’t forget to visit Santa’s Workshop for gingerbread cookies, ornaments, hot chocolate, tractor rides, and more. Admission is free!
Market Collective Holiday Market | marketcollective.ca
Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays until December 15 at the BMO Centre Hall D
The ever-popular Market Collective Holiday MC is back for two weekends to bring folks of every age live music, interactive workshops, galleries, drinks, food, and over 150 local vendors to shop the perfect holiday treasures. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $7 for the whole weekend. Kids 12 and under are free!
Winter Wonderland at the Library | calgarylibrary.ca
Saturday December 7 – Sunday December 22 at Central and Memorial Park Libraries
Sign us up for all of the holiday celebrations – especially when they’re free! Kicking off with the Mayor’s Holiday Storytime at Central Library on Saturday, December 7, with plenty of more family-friendly fun during the weeks to follow including movie screenings, sing-a-longs, winter crafts, time with special guests, and more.
Santa’s Holiday Sleigh List | affta.ca
Sunday December 8 at Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
Celebrate the season at “Santa’s Holiday Sleigh list” with the Youth Singers of Calgary – a merry, musical production. The sleigh has been shined, primed and is ready to go, but wait, there’s one thing left to do, Santa’s Holiday Sleigh list needs to be finished! These are the songs that will carry Santa through the night, so no job is more important, but which songs will make the cut? We must have all the heartwarming favourites, of course, but what about something upbeat and new to pump Santa up on his long journey? This is a job for Santa’s “Carols and Christmas Songs” team, which is headed up by two of the most passionate (and opinionated) elves you’ll ever meet. Will they all agree on what should make the Sleigh list and get it streaming by the big night? You’ll have to join us and find out! Tickets available here.
Winter Wonderfest | home.rumi.ca
Sunday December 8 at 5302 Forand Street SW
Join Rumi, ATCOenergy and Blue Flame Kitchen for a holiday celebration in support of Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta at ATCO Park! This one-day event is jam-packed with festive fun including Santa photos, Christmas crafts, stories with Mrs. Claus, a visit with Santa’s reindeer, face painting, carol singers, delicious treats and more! Toy donations to the Women in Need Society (WINS) are graciously accepted. Kids 3 and under are free. Adult admission is $10 and kids 4-18 are $5.
Cocoa & Crafts at The Confluence | theconfluence.ca
Sunday December 15, 10:30am; $15
Spend a festive morning making crafts at The Confluence! Warm up with hot chocolate and snacks and create four holiday-themed crafts perfect for little ones to give as gifts or to decorate with. Craft options include two types of Christmas trees, an elf portrait, and a reindeer gift bag. Pick one or make them all! Tickets include materials, hot chocolate, snacks, and admission to The Confluence Cultural Centre.
Calgary Philharmonic Presents: A Charlie Brown Christmas | artscommons.ca
Wednesday December 18 at Engineered Air Theatre
Enjoy the classic soundtrack of Charlie Brown’s Christmas performed live in the intimate setting of the Engineered Air Theatre. The children’s choir from Montessori School of Calgary performs in the 5:30pm show and singers from the Youth Singers of Calgary ‘Kids & Music’ program at 7:30pm. Music includes favourites “Linus and Lucy,” :Christmas Time is Here,” and “The Little Drummer Boy.” Performed by local musicians Claire Butler on piano, Kodi Hutchinson on bass, and Jim Johnston on drums.
Servus Tube Park at WinSport | winsport.ca
Opening in December – Date TBA
Are you looking for a way to get your adrenaline pumping this winter? Grab a tube and take a ride down one of the fastest tube parks in Western Canada at WinSport! Tubes come with your ticket and no special experience is required to have a blast as you slip and slide down one of the 8 lanes on the main hill. The trek to the top is almost as quick, thanks to the magic carpet! Helmets are recommended but not required. Bring your own or rent one at the park for $10. Admission for a regular ticket is $29.
Heat Up the Holidays | sparkscience.ca
Until Saturday January 4 at TELUS Spark
Don’t let the cold weather freeze over your holiday spirit, shake off the snow and turn up the heat at TELUS Spark this festive season! From thaw-dropping holiday lights to sizzlin’ science experiments and even a bark-tacular show – there’s something for everyone to melt over. Unlike those other holiday experiences, where you have to put on more layers than the Earth’s core to see festive lights, Spark has the heat cranked so you and the crew can celebrate in comfort – no snowsuit required!
ZOOLIGHTS
Until Sunday January 5 at Calgary Zoo
I don’t know if there’s a Calgarian out there who hasn’t heard of Calgary Zoo’s iconic ZOOLIGHTS display. Get bundled up and take in the sights and sounds of over 2 million lights and 200 displays on the grounds. In addition, there are fire pits to warm up at and activity zones to explore. This year, experience the best of the Zoo with the Sunlight to ZOOLIGHTS package that gives you access to the zoo starting at 1 pm, and admission to ZOOLIGHTS in the evening!
Which holiday events are you excited to check out in Calgary in December? If we missed any great one on our list, let us know in the comments!
