Calendar

Takes place December 8 to 15. Calgary JCC Jewish Book Festival. Entertaining, educating, inspiring, and uniting readers of all ages with authors. Join for a celebration of books, ideas, and current conversations that make up the fabric of today’s Jewish world. Enjoy talks, readings, book signings and sale, presentations, and more! calgaryjcc.com

Throughout December; The City of Calgary’s Fun Winter Activities. Looking for something to do with your family or friends or a fun new activity for your child? Check out the events and activities happening in a community near you! Winter is a great time to find something different to try. For more information, visit the website.

Performances take place November 29 to December 23. Junior Claus is the only son of Santa and Mrs. Claus. Like many teenagers, Junior is reluctant to take over the family business. Unsure of himself, Junior puts more faith in his technological inventions than in good old-fashioned Christmas magic, much to the chagrin of his father. But when a sudden drop in Christmas spirit renders Santa incapable of making the great ride, Junior must take the reins. Junior must learn the true meaning of Christmas in time to save the day. Junior Claus is a comedic holiday adventure for the whole family. To purchase tickets, visit the website.

Calgary Unplugged is an annual family-friendly Earth Hour event. Date: Saturday, March 23, 2024 Time: 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Location: Central Library (800 3 Street SE) Join us for music, entertainment, and opportunities to experience what environmental actions you can take in Calgary. Pedal power midway games and experience how our natural world affects our daily lives. Bring personal lighting and dance to the DJ when the lights go down for the Earth Hour party! Calgary Unplugged is hosted by The Arusha Centre's Climate Program, with support from The City of Calgary and community agencies. If you can't make it to the event, turning off nonessential lights, "unplug" from electronics at 8:30 and reconnect with people, games or hobbies! After Earth Hour, share your participation with #EarthHour and #EarthHourYYC. Email programs@arusha.org with questions.

November 22 to January 4; StoryBook Theatre Presents, Matilda, the Musical. Matilda, the Musical is the captivating masterpiece from the Royal Shakespeare Company that revels in the anarchy of childhood, the power of imagination, and the inspiring story of a girl who dreams of a better life. Packed with high-energy dance numbers, catchy songs, and an unforgettable star turn for a young actress, Matilda is a joyous girl power romp. Rated G. Appropriate for ages 6 and up. For more information, showtimes, and to purchase tickets, visit the website.

November 19 to December 29 (excluding Christmas Day); Alberta Theatre Projects Presents, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. The thrilling, classic tale takes four children from a dusty English mansion to a mythical, far-away world gripped in an epic battle between the forces of good and evil. Helped along by the fawn, Mr. Tumnus, the friendly Beaver family, and a forest of talking animals, Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy take centre stage in the struggle to free Narnia from the forces of the White Witch as they await the triumphant return of Aslan the Lion. To purchase tickets, visit the website.

Come and enjoy an afternoon listening to stories and some of Canada’s finest musicians. Storyteller/Musician Samantha Whelan Kotkas and her friends will entertain you and your children with musical interactive tales of child-accessible hikes in the Rocky Mountains. Teach your child about courage, unity, joyfulness, and caring in an afternoon of fun and adventure. An event for the whole family that you will want to be a part of. Recommended for children aged 5 to 12, but created with the entire family in mind. Come one hour before the show & enjoy family friendly activities. Stay after to meet the performers. Created and Narrated by Samantha Whelan Kotkas Music by Tyler Hornby Puppets by Green Fools Theatre Video by Joel Goundry Tyler Hornby - Drums, Chris Andrew - Piano, Pat Belliveau - Saxophones, Aaron Shore - Guitar, Stephen Shepard - Bass

Let us show you how we empower our students to reach their full potential! Hear stories from staff, current students, and parents before learning about how you can be a part of our wonderful community. Rundle Studio is an online learning environment built to help students with diagnosed learning disabilities thrive. Let us show you how we empower our students to reach their full potential!

Takes place November 13 to January 5. Legacy's 4th Annual Christmas Light Parade. Experience the magic of the holidays in Legacy! The 4th Annual Christmas Light Parade is back with over 200,000 twinkling lights for you and your family to enjoy for the month of December. It is free and open for everyone - take an evening drive through the community or walk through the tunnels of lights. The public parks, as well as over 20 Show Homes in the community, will be decorated for Christmas!

Grand Opening is November 30 at 5pm and takes place December 1 to January 8, 6pm to midnight. 33rd Annual Lions' Festival of Lights. Drive by Calgary’s largest free Christmas light showcase nightly or take the family for a sled ride through the park amongst the 500,000+ bulbs!

Takes place November 14 to December 23 (Thursdays to Sundays). The Calgary Farmer's Market has everything you need for on the table and under the tree! Dine with friends as live holiday entertainment fills the market, indulge in treats while you find the perfect gift, and create memories with holiday activities. Visit your favorite market vendors, plus seasonal vendors offering gifts, food, jewelry, décor, and more. Join for Santa photos and cookie decorating, Tea with Mrs. Claus, ice carving, visits with Santa’s Reindeer, and more. Free parking and free admission.

December 6 to 8, December 13 to 15, and December 20 to 22; This holiday season, treat your whole family to a special Christmas celebration! Mingle through the Public Market and taste all the yummy holiday treats while you shop for that special gift! Go for a hayride, visit the petting zoo, get a photo with the Alpaca, and sit on Santa’s lap and tell him how good you were this year!

Weekends, November 23 to December 22; Once Upon a Christmas at Heritage Park. Experience the magic of Christmas past with horse-drawn wagon rides; carolling; a visit with reindeer; gingerbread decorating; historic homes dressed up in Christmas style; great Christmas shopping; and a visit and photo with Old Saint Nick make this event one the whole family will enjoy! Reserve early if you would also like to enjoy a Christmas Home-Style Breakfast Buffet.

Takes place December 12 to 15. Photos with the Grinch & Max: Friday, December 13 and Saturday, December 14 from 10am to 2pm. If you're already sick of Christmas, you'll want to bring your heart that's two-sizes too small to snap a selfie with everyone’s favorite holiday humbug and his loyal dog, Max. Make a minimum $10 donation to the Calgary Food Bank and a professional photographer will snap your photo with the Grinch. You’ll get a Grinchy treat, too (while supplies last). Roaming Grinch: Thursday, December 12 & Sunday, December 15 from 10am to 2pm. All booked up wrestling with your self-loathing and jazzercise? Catch the Grinch roaming around the market and snap a surly selfie together. The only question now is: what will you wear?! Check out all of the events happening at the Calgary Christmas Market!

Sunridge Shopping Centre is your place for the holidays, starting with Black Friday and then the kick-off to Christmas. Be at Sundridge Mall on Sunday, December 1 at 11am and help the Sunridge Magician make Santa appear! Then there will have great kids’ entertainment every Saturday in December between 1 and 5pm - it’s all free!

Treat yourself and your kids to an afternoon concert. Children 12 and under will enjoy free admission! Join the Calgary Boys’ Choir in their 46th Annual Christmas Concert for an afternoon filled with beautiful choral music. Join for a concert of winter songs of celebration from a variety of traditions, as they share what they love best, their gift of music!

November 22 to January 4 (excluding Christmas Day). ZOOLIGHTS, presented by Olympia Trust Company, is back for the 23rd time! The Calgary Zoo is brightening your ZOOLIGHTS experience with enchanting new themes and special guests. Of course, they're bringing back the classic activities you’ve come to love and have added in some new ones designed to light you up. This year’s ZOOLIGHTS will feature exciting new activities including Wizarding Wednesdays, Potions Class, Axe-Throwing, the Sugar Shack, and more, in addition to the classics you have come to love like ice skating and fire pits! For more information and to purchase advance tickets, visit the website.

The Airdrie Festival of Lights is an outdoor, walk-through, holiday-themed light festival! There is no charge to attend and parking is free! Donations graciously accepted. Enjoy a hot chocolate or apple cider around the fire pits or ride the trains for $2 per person. Santa visits take place December 1, 7, 9, 16, 22, and 23 from 6:30 to 8pm. Check out Santa’s Gift Shop for your holiday shopping, including a Kids’ Only Shopping Experience. For more information, visit the website.

Join the Calgary Multicultural Choir as they celebrate this festive season with Gloria! Celebrating the Season Together at River Park Church. This annual winter concert will feature a variety of traditional songs and contemporary arrangements from many cultures around the world, some sung in their native language. The concert also features special guests Bow River Handbell Musicians Society Ringers. And because Christmas is a time for generosity and sharing, the Calgary Multicultural Choir will be collecting donations for the Calgary Food Bank. Free admission for children 12 and under. To purchase tickets, visit the website.

Celebrating the festive season in song, the MRU Conservatory ensembles, including the Calgary Youth Orchestra, Mount Royal Kantorei, Artio, and Zhi-Yin choirs, take the Bella stage at the Taylor Centre for the Performing Arts. This merry event also features an appearance by Calgary’s favorite comic a cappella quartet, the Heebee-jeebees. Enjoy an evening featuring Gloria with Mark Hayes with all three choirs and full orchestra, individual choral works, as well as a few classics with a twist. To purchase tickets, visit the website.