The first full weekend of fall comes with a harvest moon, a Beltline full of free light art and more than 10,000 carved pumpkins at WinSport. Friday is the Mid-Autumn Festival and opening night of Pumpkins After Dark, Night Light glows for its last two nights in Victoria Park, and Alberta Ballet closes its brand-new Giselle on Saturday. On Sunday, the Olympic Oval throws a public birthday skate exactly 39 years after it opened.
Jamie's Picks This weekend's best
3 picksCurated
🥂Couples Pick
Alberta Ballet in Giselle (Romantic-era story ballet)
Alberta Ballet opens its 60th season with a new Giselle, the 1841 ballet about a village girl who dies of heartbreak and returns among moonlit spirits. Saturday brings the last two shows of the whole run, a 2 PM matinee and the 7:30 PM closer.
👨👩👧Kid-Friendly Pick
Fall on the Farm Day Pass (Calgary Farmyard corn maze and pumpkin patch)
Calgary Farmyard's day pass covers more than 40 attractions, including a pumpkin patch, wagon rides, zip lines and a 10-acre corn maze. Saturday's ticket also covers Harvest Lights after dark, when the farm lights up and the maze turns into a flashlight challenge.
🎉Social Pick
Night Light (Free light art festival)
Calgary's free light art festival returns for a fourth year across five Beltline sites, with more than 40 artists. Expect a walk-through light tunnel, fire-breathing metal sculptures you set off yourself and an old Winnebago turned into a tiny DJ dance floor.
Friday YYC picks
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🎉Social Pick
Night Light (Free light art festival)
Calgary's free light art festival returns for a fourth year across five Beltline sites, with more than 40 artists. Expect a walk-through light tunnel, fire-breathing metal sculptures you set off yourself and an old Winnebago turned into a tiny DJ dance floor.
Pumpkins After Dark (Halloween pumpkin walk)
More than 10,000 hand-carved pumpkins light a themed walking path at WinSport, set to music and special effects. Friday is opening night of the 2026 run, with carving demos, roaming performers and food trucks along the way.
NMC Presents: Under the Harvest Moon (Mid-Autumn Festival concert)
Studio Bell celebrates the Mid-Autumn Festival on the holiday itself with one concert in its 264-seat Performance Hall. Two Calgary ensembles, one blending Chinese melodies with rock and pop and one playing traditional silk-and-bamboo music, share the bill with vocalist Mimi Bao.
UCalgary Dinos Football vs. Alberta Golden Bears (University football rivalry)
The Dinos host provincial rival Alberta in Canada West university football, back home after a double-overtime loss at Manitoba. The Golden Bears are still chasing their first conference win, and general admission starts at $9 for youth.
Also on Friday
03 picks🏒Calgary Hitmen vs. Edmonton Oil Kings (Junior hockey)Junior Battle of Alberta rematch reaches Calgary
Calgary Hitmen vs. Edmonton Oil Kings (Junior hockey)Junior Battle of Alberta rematch reaches Calgary
Five days after Calgary beat Edmonton 4-3 in overtime at Rogers Place, the Oil Kings visit the Saddledome for the rematch. It is the Hitmen's second home game of the new Western Hockey League season, with seats from $19.
🎤Danielle Dayton Album Release (Calgary indie-pop singer-songwriter)Layered synths and choral harmonies meet folk roots
Danielle Dayton Album Release (Calgary indie-pop singer-songwriter)Layered synths and choral harmonies meet folk roots
Calgary singer-songwriter Danielle Dayton launches her debut full-length album with a full band at Festival Hall. Her modern indie-pop leans folk, with layered synths and choral harmonies, and it is the first time she shares a stage with her Michigan producer.
🚗Lilo & Stitch (Downtown drive-in movie)A downtown parking lot becomes a drive-in
Lilo & Stitch (Downtown drive-in movie)A downtown parking lot becomes a drive-in
Horizon Drive In screens Disney's Lilo & Stitch in a downtown parking lot, with the sound playing through your car's FM radio. Without a car, a $10 walk-in pass gets you front-row seating with speaker sound.
Saturday YYC picks
Temps: —° / —°
🥂Couples Pick
Alberta Ballet in Giselle (Romantic-era story ballet)
Alberta Ballet opens its 60th season with a new Giselle, the 1841 ballet about a village girl who dies of heartbreak and returns among moonlit spirits. Saturday brings the last two shows of the whole run, a 2 PM matinee and the 7:30 PM closer.
👨👩👧Kid-Friendly Pick
Fall on the Farm Day Pass (Calgary Farmyard corn maze and pumpkin patch)
Calgary Farmyard's day pass covers more than 40 attractions, including a pumpkin patch, wagon rides, zip lines and a 10-acre corn maze. Saturday's ticket also covers Harvest Lights after dark, when the farm lights up and the maze turns into a flashlight challenge.
JOURNEY - Final Frontier Tour (Arena rock concert)
Journey, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band behind Don't Stop Believin', plays the Saddledome on its Final Frontier Tour. It is billed as An Evening With, so there's no opener, and a Seattle show on this tour ran about 28 songs.
The Music of John Williams (Calgary Phil film-score concert)
The Calgary Phil plays John Williams' film music, from Star Wars and E.T. to Jurassic Park and Indiana Jones, under conductor Tristan Rais-Sherman. Saturday closes the three-night run, and the concert is open to all ages.
Alberta Disney Fans Fall Festival (Free Disney fan meet-up)
A fan-run Disney meet-up returns to New Horizon Mall in Balzac for its fall edition, with princess meet-and-greets for photos, face painting and pin trading. It is free for all ages, with Disney-inspired vendors and free parking.
Also on Saturday
08 picks🕺Red Bull BC One Cypher Canada (National breakdancing final)National champion advances to Toronto's World Final
Red Bull BC One Cypher Canada (National breakdancing final)National champion advances to Toronto's World Final
Canada's best B-boys and B-girls face off one-on-one at the Palace Theatre for the Red Bull BC One national title. The winner goes to the World Final in Toronto on November 29, the first held in Canada.
🚪Doors Open YYC (Free behind-the-scenes building tours)Tour reaches a concert hall's orchestra pit
Doors Open YYC (Free behind-the-scenes building tours)Tour reaches a concert hall's orchestra pit
Calgary's open-house weekend lets you inside 11 buildings and organizations for free, with different sites on Saturday and Sunday. Highlights include cSPACE Marda Loop, the CJSW radio station and a Sunday back-of-house tour of the Jack Singer Concert Hall.
👻Haunted Mini Golf (Halloween mini golf)Eighteen holes get a Halloween makeover this weekend
Haunted Mini Golf (Halloween mini golf)Eighteen holes get a Halloween makeover this weekend
WinSport dresses its 18-hole mini golf course in Halloween decorations and eerie obstacles starting Saturday. It is lighthearted enough for kids, and Pumpkins After Dark ticket holders get $2 off walk-up rounds.
🦒Fall Garden Globes Dinner (Zoo dinner in a clear dome)Braised short rib inside a clear garden dome
Fall Garden Globes Dinner (Zoo dinner in a clear dome)Braised short rib inside a clear garden dome
An after-hours zoo evening pairs a staff-led walk through the closed grounds with a three-course fall dinner inside a clear garden globe on Grazers Lawn. Globes seat four to six, and online sales close two days before each night.
🛼CS Campus Summer Sendoff (Free patio party with roller skating)Free skate rentals at a pop-up rink
CS Campus Summer Sendoff (Free patio party with roller skating)Free skate rentals at a pop-up rink
Stampede Campus throws a free, all-ages end-of-summer patio party on Enbridge Plaza beside Sam Centre, with a pop-up roller rink and free skate rentals. Five live acts run hourly from 4 to 9 PM alongside food trucks and a mini makers' market.
🚲Public Art Bike Tour with curator Tyson Bankert & Calgary Arts Development (Guided public-art ride)Final guided ride visits playful public art stops
Public Art Bike Tour with curator Tyson Bankert & Calgary Arts Development (Guided public-art ride)Final guided ride visits playful public art stops
Curator Tyson Bankert leads a free 8 km group ride to public artworks, starting at the Bloom sculpture on St. Patrick's Island. It is the second and final guided date, and riders bring their own bikes.
🥁Korean Culture & Arts Festival (Free drumming, dance and food open house)Watch and then try Korean drum rhythms
Korean Culture & Arts Festival (Free drumming, dance and food open house)Watch and then try Korean drum rhythms
The Calgary Korean Women's Association opens its northeast centre for a free two-day festival. Saturday brings traditional Korean drumming and dance with hands-on workshops, and Sunday afternoon turns to Korean food with demonstrations.
🧺Calgary Farmers' Market South (Year-round indoor farmers' market)Pre-order a fully smoked turkey for Thanksgiving
Calgary Farmers' Market South (Year-round indoor farmers' market)Pre-order a fully smoked turkey for Thanksgiving
More than 140 local vendors fill the year-round indoor market off 77 Avenue SE, and September is peak harvest. Corn, squash, plums and peppers are in season, and Thanksgiving turkey pre-orders are open.
Sunday YYC picks
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Olympic Oval 39th Birthday Skate (Public skate on the 1988 Olympic oval)
The Olympic Oval turns 39 on Sunday, the anniversary of its 1987 opening, and celebrates with a drop-in public skate on its 400-metre long-track oval. Admission is $7.25 for adults, and helmets are mandatory for everyone on the ice.
Calgary Wild FC vs. Vancouver Rise FC (Pro women's soccer)
Calgary Wild FC closes its home season with a Fan Appreciation Match against Vancouver Rise FC in Canada's professional women's soccer league. Tickets run $25 to $60, including a $25 alcohol-free family zone.
Teddy Bear Clinic (Stuffed-toy check-ups at the zoo)
Kids bring a stuffed toy for a pretend check-up with the zoo's animal health team, complete with triage, stitching stations and a prescription. Each toy is a $5 donation to conservation, and the public session runs 11 AM to 1 PM.
Also on Sunday
05 picks🎶The Story of Linda Ronstadt (Concert with the stories behind the songs)The stories behind Blue Bayou, performed live
The Story of Linda Ronstadt (Concert with the stories behind the songs)The stories behind Blue Bayou, performed live
Calgary country and Americana singer Mariya Stokes and a full live band perform Linda Ronstadt's hits, including Blue Bayou and You're No Good, while she tells the stories behind them. A big-screen presentation runs behind the show.
🪕Nose Creek Concerts presents JED AND THE VALENTINE (Folk duo in a community hall)Two voices, close harmonies, prairie folk
Nose Creek Concerts presents JED AND THE VALENTINE (Folk duo in a community hall)Two voices, close harmonies, prairie folk
Edmonton indie-folk duo Jed and the Valentine play a two-hour afternoon set in a small Winston Heights community hall. Snacks, coffee and tea at the 1:30 PM reception are included, and kids 14 and under get in free.
🛍️The Barn Artisan Market presents The Autumn Market (Maker market in a 1915 barn)More than 30 makers fill a 1915 barn
The Barn Artisan Market presents The Autumn Market (Maker market in a 1915 barn)More than 30 makers fill a 1915 barn
More than 30 Alberta makers set up on two floors of the historic Shawnessy Barn for the monthly artisan market's autumn edition. Food trucks park outside, and entry and parking are free.
🎧Pink Floyd: The Dark Side of the Moon (Full-album dome show)Visuals wrap around a three-storey dome screen
Pink Floyd: The Dark Side of the Moon (Full-album dome show)Visuals wrap around a three-storey dome screen
Pink Floyd's 1973 album The Dark Side of the Moon plays start to finish while 360-degree visuals fill TELUS Spark's Infinity Dome. Sunday has 7:15 and 8:45 PM shows, and the ticket doesn't include the science centre.
🧇Sunday Safari Brunch (Zoo buffet brunch)A chocolate fountain buffet comes with zoo admission
Sunday Safari Brunch (Zoo buffet brunch)A chocolate fountain buffet comes with zoo admission
The zoo's Safari Lodge serves a Sunday buffet with a Belgian waffle bar, eggs benedict, made-to-order omelettes and a chocolate fountain, bundled with same-day zoo admission. Pick one of four 90-minute seatings.
All weekend runs Fri–Sun
Also all weekend
04 picks🎈2026 Heritage Inn International Balloon Festival (Free hot-air balloon festival in High River)Walk among glowing balloons Friday after dark
2026 Heritage Inn International Balloon Festival (Free hot-air balloon festival in High River)Walk among glowing balloons Friday after dark
High River's free balloon festival launches from its new Wallaceville site just after sunrise and before sunset. Friday's Balloon Glow lets you walk among lit, tethered balloons after dark, and every flight depends on the wind.
🎬Calgary International Film Festival (Citywide film festival)Eleven days, five cinemas, one free Monday
Calgary International Film Festival (Citywide film festival)Eleven days, five cinemas, one free Monday
The 27th Calgary International Film Festival screens more than 200 features and shorts across five cinemas through October 4. The lineup pulls from Cannes and other major festivals, and single tickets are $19 plus fees.
🍽️Feast on Fourth ($10 food walk on 4th Street)Every featured dish costs exactly $10
Feast on Fourth ($10 food walk on 4th Street)Every featured dish costs exactly $10
More than 30 restaurants and shops along 4th Street SW each put up a $10 offer, and you walk between them with no ticket. The fall edition wraps Sunday and is the first to include retail.
🎪Cirque Italia Water Circus (Circus around a water stage)Acrobats perform over a 35,000-gallon pool
Cirque Italia Water Circus (Circus around a water stage)Acrobats perform over a 35,000-gallon pool
Cirque Italia's touring big top at CrossIron Mills is built around a 35,000-gallon water stage, with acrobats, aerialists, contortionists and clowns performing on and above it. There are six weekend shows, and kids under 2 sit free on a lap.
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In Case You Missed It News
Larch season takes a hit in Banff - A larch needleworm outbreak has browned most of the larch stands from Sunshine Village to Lake Louise, so golden-larch hikes this fall may disappoint.
A new Calgary park opens, the first of its kind in Canada - The Martin Family Garden at Rotary Park is open, and Daily Hive describes it as an inclusive, sensory-style park, the first of its kind in Canada.
Village Square Leisure Centre gets a new Thunder Slide - The new slide replaces the centre's iconic waterslide, and LiveWire Calgary says it promises the same old fun.
Calgary Food Bank drive collects nearly half a million pounds - The city-wide food drive brought in nearly half a million pounds of donations for the Calgary Food Bank.
A dirty soda shop is opening its first Calgary location - Over the Top Pop Shop, which Daily Hive calls a beloved spot for dirty sodas (soft drinks dressed up with flavoured syrups and cream), is opening its first location in Calgary.
More Events 490 listings
Beyond our curated picks, here’s everything else happening in Calgary this weekend.