Best of Calgary is a celebration of the people, places and voices that make Calgary an amazing place to live and call home.

Written by: Kelsey Woods

With only a few weeks of December left, there are lot of Christmas-themed events to fit in before the holidays! Calgary never ceases to amaze us with its Christmas spirit and holiday cheer each year. Between your Christmas baking, house-cleaning, last-minute shopping and holiday card making, make sure to take some time for you this season and check out these local events. Whether you like shopping, exploring, going to shows or heading out on a road trip, we’ve got you covered. Grab your date, your family, your friend or even your dog and get into the holiday spirit this December!

The Nutcracker Ballet

Acclaimed as one of Canada’s finest renderings and a delightfully traditional depiction, Edmund Stripe’s The Nutcracker celebrates its 10th anniversary this season. Enjoy live music played by the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra as you watch talented individuals skip, dance and jump perfectly choreographed across the stage during the almost 2-hour performance. With multiple shows per day, you’re bound to find a time that works for everyone. Weeknight shows start at 6:30pm, matinees at 12:30pm and weekend shows at 5:30pm; don’t forget to show up half an hour early to enjoy the pre-show entertainment!

Calgary Performance Dates:

December 14, 15, 16

December 20, 21, 22, 23, 24

Visit the Ticketmaster website to purchase your tickets.

Christmas in Banff

Because you can never have too much Christmas, right?! One of the great advantages of living in Calgary is our close proximity to world-class mountains, whether you like to hike, ski or simple escape the city for hours, days or weeks at a time. Head out to the Rockies to experience a truly magical Christmas amongst the snow and the gorgeous backdrop of Banff, Alberta. With countless events happening in and around town, you’ll be entertained for hours.

Christmas performances at the Banff Avenue Square: December 15 & 22 @ 4pm & 7pm
Photos with Santa at The Spirit of Christmas: Running now until December 22
A Christmas Carol at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel: Playing now until December 25
Mountaintop Christmas on the Sulphur Mountain Gondola: Kids ride free before noon daily until December 30!

Market Collective’s 10 Year Anniversary

Sure, maybe you’ve been to Market Collective before, but never like this. Join Calgary as we celebrate Market Collective’s 10-year anniversary! Starting as a small independent market held in tiny venues with small crowds, this collective has grown to a city-wide event welcoming thousands of people through their doors each market. In celebration of their 10-years together, the festivities will be held at the BMO Centre to accommodate larger crowds and more vendors than ever before. With live music, interactive workshops, galleries, local food and beverage, don’t miss this market event of the season!

Hours:
Friday: 4pm - 9pm
Saturday: 10am - 6pm
Sunday: 10am - 6pm

A Christmas Carol

Celebrating 32 years of spirited tradition, join Theatre Calgary for another season of this Christmas classic as we watch Ebenezer Scrooge on his journey towards Christmas spirit. If you have attended this play before, you will recall an exquisite performance from Stephen Hair as Ebenezer, who is celebrating 25-years in this role. Don’t miss his grand quarter-of-a-century performance as he dazzles you with his new rendition!

Performance Dates:

December 13-23 (excluding December 17)

Get your tickets for this popular show here - they’re going fast!

Christmas in Kensington

Experience Christmas magic right here in our very own Kensington. Sleigh rides, hot chocolate and Christmas-themed movies at the Plaza Theatre just scratch the surface of the festive activities to be enjoyed every Saturday until December 22. The community of Kensington is thrilled to offer as many activities as possible complimentary to the public in the spirit of Christmas. On December 15th there will be a small petting zoo located by Naked Leaf and the Plaza Theatre will be playing the movie Elf on December 22nd. Only two Saturdays to go - which one will you attend?

Remaining Event Dates:

December 15 & 22

Snow Days in Banff, Ice Magic festival at Lake Louise

Everyone knows that December is a CRAZY month - Christmas shopping, decorating, holidays and then recovering from the holidays take up most of your time. Sometimes there’s simply too much to pack into those precious 31 days. So, Banff and Lake Louise are hosting their winter events early January after the Christmas craze has died down and you have time to explore the mountains. Enjoy 10 days of outdoor snow and ice sculptures, crafted into breathtaking displays that you can watch every step of the way. In-between sculptures, you can explore Banff’s countless shops, try new restaurants, skate on Lake Louise or simply take in the scenery that we too often take for granted.

Event Dates:

January 16-27