An Unforgettable Summer In Calgary
Calgary is my home away from home…away from home. And yet, a string of nomadic travels abroad have kept me from "Cowtown" for longer than I ever would have imagined. Finally, after three years, I found myself back in Alberta's biggest city for an extended stay. In my absence, popular venues have been rebranded, and cornerstone neighborhoods have expanded, but at the same time, the fair-weather events schedule was as jam-packed as ever, and the Rocky Mountains (which pop against the glassy skyline on a clear day) beckoned side-trip adventures all the same. If a picture speaks a thousand words, then allow me to share a visual novel of my unforgettable summer in Calgary.
Neighborhoods
At 849 km2, Calgary has really embraced the big-city sprawl. There are plenty of nice suburbs for residents to lay down roots in the northwest or the entirety of the south. And all the necessary industrial infrastructure seems to surround the international airport in the northeast. But the majority of the social and touristic action happens in and around the downtown core. Let's take a second to familiarize ourselves with some (but not all) of the most appealing neighborhoods for prospective summer visitors. And yes, my personal bias is on full display, but as a long-time Calgarian, isn't that the point?
Inglewood
Calgary's original downtown has successfully preserved its rustic charm, while also expanding its upscale restaurants and boutique shops even further east down 9th Avenue. And over the past decade, this has easily become the best craft brewery cluster in the city, thanks to the likes of Cold Garden, High Line, Burn Block Social Club, The Dandy, Eighty-Eight, Evil Corporation, and until a recent fire ended (or paused?) its reign, Ol' Beautiful. All of these distinct yet synergistic venues are within short walking distance of each other.
Inglewood is also part of the Music Mile - meaning nightly jams or open mics can be found at Ironwood, The Blues Can, Cafe Gravity and beyond. Its youthful artistry is also on full display across the various street murals and galleries (I got a tasty sneak peak of the newest addition, Crawlspace, which is now open to the public).
Kensington
Hip, colorful, and delightfully-pretentious, Kensington has long been the classic meet-up spot for centralized Calgarians. Higher Ground Cafe and Oolong Tea House are the daytime beverage staples, while Mestizo Taqueria appears to be the new game in town for Mexican grub atop a downtown-viewing patio. Along with being a destination unto itself, Kensington is also connected to Prince's Island Park (whose events will be repeatedly featured below) via the photogenic Peace Bridge.
Bridgeland
Bridgeland is an eclectic and relatively overlooked neighborhood of central Calgary. Here, Christian, Islam, and Buddhist institutions share the streets, large public parks sit just north of the Bow River (thereby providing stellar views of the surrounding cityscape), and a slew of cool cafes and restaurants fill in the gaps. Check out Bridge 15 Cafe (formerly Baya Rica) and Luke's Drug Mart (yes, it's a pharmacy, but it's also a coffee shop and plant/gadget store).
Mission
Mission brings the party to the Elbow River and the Red Mile (i.e., the stretch of 17th Avenue that leads to the Calgary Saddledome and Stampede grounds). This is the spot to jog or pedal a novel stretch of the urban nature paths, grab some take-out grub, chill on the pebble beach and watch people slowly float by on rafts (which were probably purchased cheaply that same day at Canadian Tire), and then grab a drink on one of 4th Street's patios.
East Village
This place is dichotomous, to say the least. Home to freshly-built condos, the incomparable Central Library, The Confluence Historic Site & Parkland (formerly Fort Calgary), and the historic Simmons Building, but also the city's most prominent issues with drug addiction and homelessness, East Village may be a polarizing experience for out-of-towners. I do ultimately recommend this spot (I actually used to live here), but just be mindful of the usual dynamics that plague many major Canadian cities as of late (insert political commentary here).
Stephen Ave
Calgary's pedestrian strip highlights the beauty of its metropolitan core. By day, blue skies typically pierce the narrow strip between high-rise towers and historic buildings, and by night, hanging lights, buzzing patios, and live music (whether emanating from adjacent venues or streetside buskers) dominate the ambience. Yes, some of the same unfortunate issues spill over from East Village, but the scores of people casually strolling between Center Street and 8th Street serve to smooth out the vibe.
While down this way, be sure to take a peek at Globe Cinema's showtimes. This is the home to independent film (especially come the annual Calgary International Film Festival). I was lucky enough to catch Paul Tomas Anderson's There Will Be Blood with friends this summer.
Parks and Recreation
Calgary is ahead of the curve in terms of its public parks and paths, as well as its niche recreation opportunities. In fact, the city maintains more than 8,500 hectares of natural areas, 1,100 playgrounds, loads of little riverside picnic areas, and 1,000 kilometers of paved pathways (i.e. one of the most comprehensive urban systems in North America). As a trail runner, one of my favorite things to do is to connect the various dirt trails (there are approximately 96 km of them in total) that wind up, down, and along the Bow and Elbow River Valleys. And if all of that still doesn't cut it, Calgary sits less than an hour east of the Rockies, meaning that unlimited four-season adventures are but an album or short podcast's drive away (cheap shuttles also run regularly to Banff and Canmore).
This summer I turned attention to Nose Hill Park, Bowmont Park, Fish Creek Provincial Park, and the trails surrounding Prince's Island Park. I also paddled the Glenmore Reservoir for the first time - something I regretfully neglected during my tenure in Calgary (so get on this right away!).
Should the weather take a turn, or if you want a tune up for the mountains (which we'll visit in just a moment), consider checking out one of Calgary's many climbing gyms. Back when I lived here, I was a member at Bolder Climbing Community. After a three-year absence, I'm happy to report that it hasn't changed a bit (although they did at a second location).
Festivals
The quintessential annual event in these parts is the Calgary Stampede, aka "The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth." Over one million people flock to what started as a rodeo but has since evolved into a live music bonanza, pop-up carnival, and city-wide party - but the rodeo still takes center stage. Don your cowboy hat/boots and hit the saloon-themed bars by night, indulge in one of the gazillion free pancake breakfasts by day, and schedule whatever mix of chuckwagon races, parades, nightly fireworks shows, and mainstream concerts you desire across the rest of this 10-day, one-of-a-kind festival.
Though Stampede is the most well-known summer event, Calgary is far from a one-trick pony this time of year. For five days each June, indie bands flood the plethora of venues in the downtown core for Sled Island. This go-round I was lucky enough to catch one of the free shows at Modern Love (formerly Broken City). You never know what you're going to get with Sled Island line-ups, and the mixed bag on this day did not disappoint.
For more of a down-the-middle musical experience, the Calgary Folk Music Festival is the way to go. For four days in late July, world-class headliners join magnetic Canadian artists across the various stages on Prince's Island Park. One of my long-time favorites, Ben Howard, owned the Thursday night slate (even though the organizers cut him off during his last song!), but Luna Li, Making Movies, Leif Vollebeck, and Leith Ross were also unexpected standouts.
And last but not least on this summer events teaser, the Great Outdoor Comedy Festival also convened on Prince's Island Park, precisely one month after Folk Fest. Three teams of touring comedians brought the boundary-testing yuks to these nature-soaked grounds, including Tom Segura, who I had been dying to see for years.
Indigenous Culture
Calgary, aka Moh’kinsstis, is located on Treaty 7 Territory. It, therefore, shares both geography and history with the Blackfoot Confederacy (i.e., Siksika, Piikani, and Kainai First Nations), Stoney Nakoda (i.e., Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Goodstoney First Nations), and the Tsuut'ina First Nation, in conjunction with the Métis Nation of Alberta (Districts 5 and 6).
As you can see, there is a wealth of Indigenous culture to engage with during. Every year the city seems to embrace and promote these living legacies more and more. In the past, I was fortunate to participate in sweat lodges hosted by the Blackfoot Confederacy. This summer, I was invited to participate in the Walk for Reconciliation on National Indigenous Peoples Day, as well as the Tsuut'ina Powwow (part of their Annual Celebrations). The former was an effective way to get in touch with the darker side of Canadian history and support the still-impacted people, whereas the latter was a fun opportunity to experience the vibrant culture of one of the native nations. If you get the chance to visit next summer and want to partake in some of these unique gatherings, check out the websites for any or all of the above tribes/nations/confederacies, pay a visit to The Confluence, ask at the library, and/or keep an eye out for posters around town or social media promotions.
Rocky Mountain Adventures
Calgary is fortuitously situated little more than an hour away from several Rocky Mountain focal points. Banff, Canmore, Bragg Creek, and Kananaskis (not to mention Jasper, Waterton, and the entirety of British Columbia's interior) kept me occupied nearly every weekend during my decade in Calgary - never ceasing to reveal new trailheads or routes up familiar peaks. This summer, I was able to bag a few big summits in Banff National Park, live in Canmore for little spurts (thanks to my trustee camper van), and I bring some newbie hikers to the lookouts surrounding Barrier Lake (i.e. an ideal introduction to the world of higher altitude adventures).
For those without wheels, wanting to reduce their carbon footprint, or unable to contend with high gas prices, Calgary offers daily shuttle services to/from Banff, Canmore, and a few key surrounding spots. Banff, in an effort to manage its swelling crowds, has also instituted its own user-friendly and inexpensive bus routes to all of its crowd-pleasing sites, including: Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, Tunnel Mountain, Sulphur Mountain, Cave and Basin National Historic Site, Norquay, Johnston Canyon, campgrounds, and more. It is, therefore, perfectly possible to leave Calgary with nothing but a backpack, thoroughly explore the mountains of Canada's most popular national park, and return that same day.
Parting Thoughts
The last three years have shown me some of the best places the world has to offer. And yet, Calgary still owns a big piece of my heart. It's not just the pre-existing roots that made me want to return, it's the pulsating social scene, unique neighborhoods, frenetic festivals, and proximity to the Rockies. If you haven't had a chance to check out Calgary, then I highly recommend penciling that in for summer of 2025. In the meantime, this former host of the Winter Olympics has a few tricks up its sleeve during the snowy months too!
