Fall Family Fun in Calgary This September
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
Saturday September 2nd
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
Saturday September 9 & Sunday September 10
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.
Photo Credit: Benjamin Laird
Calgary Pride Parade | calgarypride.ca
Sunday September 3rd at 11am
Get your brightest colours and rainbow flags ready for a spectacular pride celebration! Calgary Pride Week takes place until September 3rd in celebration of the 2SLGBTQ+ Community. The annual parade kicks off at 11 am on Sunday, September 3rd, starting at 11 AM, beginning at 9th Ave and 4th ST, and marching its way SE, ending at Fort Calgary.
Spruce Meadows Masters | sprucemeadows.com
Wednesday September 6 – Sunday September 10
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. Check the Spruce Meadows website for the daily competition schedules!
Calgary Rotary Ribfest | yycrotaryribfest.ca
Friday September 8 – Sunday September 10
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.
Photo credit Kirk Davis
2023 Heritage Inn International Balloon Festival | heritageinninternationalballoonfestival.com
Wednesday September 27 – Sunday October 1
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 27 and Oct. 1, and a chance to get up close and personal with inflated balloons at the Balloon Glow on Friday, September 29. 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).
Photo Credit: Michael Grondin
Calgary International Film Festival | ciffcalgary.ca
Thursday September 21 – Sunday October 1
The Calgary International Film Festival returns for its 24th 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 5 ($77), 8 ($122), 12 ($184), or 20 ($289) and can be used for in-cinema or online viewing.
Photo Credit: Denise Kitagawa
Beakerhead | beakerhead.com/
Thursday September 14 – Sunday September17
Beakerhead is back for 2023, and this is its 10th year! Celebrate 10 years of weird and head to Millennium Park 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 Calgary? We’d love to hear them in the comments!
