Looking for the best things to do in Calgary this weekend? From Friday, September 25 to Sunday, September 27, you can wander through a free light-art festival, watch movies beneath the downtown skyline, roller-skate at Stampede Park, eat your way along 4th Street and welcome spooky season with illuminated pumpkins and haunted mini golf.
Last updated: September 23, 2026
Calgary is not easing quietly into fall.
Night Light is transforming five Victoria Park and Beltline locations with more than 40 artists, CIFF is opening its 2026 festival with movies from around the world, and two separate outdoor movie nights are giving you an excuse to bring a blanket and stay out after sunset.
There is plenty to eat and drink, too. Feast on Fourth has $10 dishes from restaurants across Mission, Harvest Haus is bringing Oktoberfest back to the Big Four Roadhouse and Negroni Week is wrapping up at bars around the city.
Here are 12 Calgary events we think are genuinely worth your time this weekend.
The Best Things To Do In Calgary This Weekend
Wander Through A Free Light-Art Festival
Victoria Park is about to look considerably brighter.
Night Light is spreading glowing installations, projection mapping, interactive artwork and live performances across five walkable locations in Victoria Park and the Beltline.
More than 40 local, national and international artists are involved. This year’s installations include artwork visitors can activate with their bodies, a giant Lite-Brite-style display and a metal horse that sends flames from its nostrils.
No tickets or reservations are required, so you can start at any participating site and build your own route through the neighbourhood.
WHEN: Thursday, September 24 to Saturday, September 26, 6 to 11 p.m. nightly
WHERE: Central Memorial Park, The District at Beltline, The Princeton, BLVD Beltline BARK and Pixel Park
COST: Free
WHY GO: More than 40 artists turn an ordinary evening walk into one of Calgary’s most visually interesting free festivals.
Eat Your Way Along 4th Street For $10 A Stop
If you prefer to choose dinner one snack at a time, Feast on Fourth has built an entire festival around that idea.
Restaurants and cafés along 4th Street are offering special $10 dishes, including lobster corn fritters at Blowers & Grafton, a maple-fig pub burger at Unicorn on 4th, kafta in pita from Aida’s Bistro and a pastry-and-drink combination at Paris Baguette.
The offers are spread through Mission, making this less of a traditional fenced festival and more of a self-guided neighbourhood food crawl. Retailers, fitness studios and service businesses are participating with deals of their own.
Check the individual offer conditions before ordering, as some are dine-in or takeout only.
WHEN: Wednesday, September 23 to Sunday, September 27
WHERE: Participating businesses along 4th Street SW
COST: Featured food offers are $10; other retail and service offers vary
WHY GO: It is an affordable way to try several Mission restaurants without committing to one full meal.
See More Than 200 Films At The Calgary International Film Festival
The Calgary International Film Festival begins its 27th edition this week with more than 200 feature films and shorts, Canadian and international premieres, documentaries, filmmaker appearances and special events.
Weekend screenings take place at Scotiabank Theatre Chinook, Contemporary Calgary, Plaza Theatre, Globe Cinema and The GRAND. The lineup ranges from major festival discoveries to independent films that may not return to Calgary theatres after CIFF.
Friday highlights include The Debut, a dark comedy directed by Jesse Eisenberg and starring Julianne Moore, Paul Giamatti and Halle Bailey. Paper Tiger, starring Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson and Miles Teller, screens Saturday at The GRAND. Sunday’s schedule includes Purgatory, with J.K. Simmons and Mary Walsh, with guests expected to be at the screening.
There is also a free way to join the festival. CIFF Outdoors takes over Eau Claire Plaza on Saturday with all-ages activities, entertainment and three movies on a large outdoor screen.
WHEN: Thursday, September 24 to Sunday, October 4; screening times vary
WHERE: Scotiabank Theatre Chinook, Contemporary Calgary, Plaza Theatre, Globe Cinema, The GRAND and additional festival locations
COST: Regular single-film tickets are $19 plus fees; bundles and passes available; CIFF Outdoors is free
WHY GO: More than 200 films, premieres and filmmaker appearances make CIFF the city’s biggest movie event of the year.
Roller-Skate For Free On A Giant Outdoor Rink
Summer gets one final sendoff at Stampede Park this Saturday.
Summer Sendoff at SAM Centre is filling Enbridge Plaza with a 2,400-square-foot roller rink, live music, lawn games, food and drinks.
Skate rentals are included, and the all-ages event also features DJ Jay Myski, Zenon+ and Jared Daniel. If you want to stay longer, admission to the SAM Centre exhibition is free between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m. that day.
WHEN: Saturday, September 26, 4 to 9 p.m.
WHERE: Enbridge Plaza at SAM Centre, Stampede Park
COST: Free; skate rentals included
WHY GO: A free roller rink, live music and complimentary museum admission turn this into much more than another patio party.
Raise A Stein At Calgary’s Oktoberfest Celebration
Harvest Haus is bringing Bavarian-style celebration back to Calgary for one weekend.
Harvest Haus fills the Big Four Roadhouse with communal tables, live entertainment, German-inspired food, steins and plenty of lederhosen. The evening is designed as a social Oktoberfest experience rather than a conventional beer festival, so expect singing, dancing and long-table energy.
The event is 18+, and paid parking is available at Stampede Park.
WHEN: Friday, September 25 and Saturday, September 26, 6 to 11:30 p.m.
WHERE: Big Four Roadhouse, 1801 Big Four Trail SE
COST: Tickets from approximately $24; food and drinks extra
WHY GO: It’s one of Calgary’s biggest Oktoberfest events, complete with live entertainment and a properly festive beer-hall setting.
Get Renovation Ideas At The Calgary Fall Home Show
Anyone contemplating a renovation, or simply collecting ideas for a future one, can meet contractors, designers and home-improvement specialists in one place this weekend.
The Calgary Fall Home Show includes expert presentations on the main stage, an artisan market, new products, show-only offers and an immersive feature highlighting the role of Alberta women’s shelters.
Save $2 by purchasing admission ahead of time. Children 12 and younger enter free.
WHEN: Friday, September 25 to Sunday, September 27
WHERE: BMO Centre, Stampede Park
COST: $14 general admission at the show; $12 seniors; children 12 and under free
WHY GO: You can compare experts and products in person before committing money to a home project.
Step Inside A Water Circus At CrossIron Mills
A circus tent near CrossIron Mills has been transformed into an underwater world without using a single live animal.
Cirque Italia’s Water Circus: Nautilus combines aerial acts, acrobatics, balancing and theatrical effects around a custom water stage. The family-friendly production follows an ocean-inspired story and is performed under the company’s black-and-white big top.
There are multiple performances throughout the weekend. Check the ticket page carefully when choosing a time, as prices and availability vary by seating level.
WHEN: Until October 5th
WHERE: CrossIron Mills, Rocky View County
COST: $25 to $85
WHY GO: High-flying circus acts staged over water make this a distinctive family outing that Calgary does not get every weekend.
See Thousands Of Illuminated Pumpkins After Dark
Spooky season officially begins at WinSport this Friday.
Pumpkins After Dark is a nighttime walking trail filled with more than 10,000 carved pumpkin displays, music, sound effects and large illuminated scenes.
The experience also includes live carving demonstrations, roaming performers, photo opportunities and fall treats from local food trucks. It is designed to be family-friendly, with Halloween atmosphere but no jump scares.
Tickets are sold in timed entry windows, so advance booking is the safest option.
WHEN: Opens Friday, September 25; select nights through October 31
WHERE: WinSport, 88 Canada Olympic Rd. SW
COST: Ticket prices vary by date and entry time; parking is free
WHY GO: It is an easy way to get into Halloween mode without committing to a genuinely frightening haunted attraction.
Play A Round Of Haunted Mini Golf
If you want Halloween atmosphere with a lower price and a putter, WinSport’s mini-golf course is getting a seasonal makeover.
Haunted Mini Golf adds eerie obstacles, decorations and lighthearted scares to the 18-hole course. It opens Saturday and runs on select dates through Halloween.
The attraction is family-friendly, and children two and younger enter free. WinSport recommends booking a tee time in advance.
WHEN: Opens Saturday, September 26; select dates through October 31
WHERE: WinSport, 88 Canada Olympic Rd. SW
COST: Adults $17; youth and seniors $15; preschoolers $10; ages two and under free
WHY GO: It delivers an early dose of spooky season without the price or intensity of a full haunted house.
Try A Calgary Negroni Made For A Good Cause
Negroni Week wraps up Sunday, giving you one final weekend to try special versions of the bittersweet Italian cocktail.
Participating Calgary restaurants and bars are serving classics and creative variations while supporting Slow Food. Bonterra and Posto, for example, have three $16 options, including a classic Negroni and an after-dark version with strawberry, espresso, banana and cocoa. Thomsons Kitchen & Bar is serving four $20 interpretations.
Use the official venue map to find participating bars, or check with the restaurant before going if one particular drink has caught your attention.
WHEN: Through Sunday, September 27
WHERE: Participating Calgary bars and restaurants
COST: Varies by venue; featured cocktails generally $16 and up
WHY GO: It turns the final cocktail of the weekend into a chance to try something inventive while supporting a food-focused nonprofit.
Hunt For Vintage Finds Priced At $5 Or Less
Ella Grace Marketplace is clearing out an enormous collection of vintage and antique pieces while keeping the prices unusually low.
The store’s Massive Garage Sale promises furniture, home décor, vintage finds and assorted treasures for $5 or less, with countless items marked at $2. The sale takes place in the rear parking lot, so plan to browse outside and arrive early if you want the best selection.
This is a rain-or-shine event.
WHEN: Saturday, September 26, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, September 27, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
WHERE: Ella Grace Marketplace, rear parking lot, 7271 12 St. SE
COST: Free admission; everything for sale is $5 or less
WHY GO: It is difficult to beat a vintage treasure hunt where even the larger price tags stop at five dollars.
See Journey’s Final Frontier Tour At The Saddledome
Journey is bringing decades of arena-rock hits to Calgary on Saturday.
The band’s Final Frontier Tour promises a career-spanning set filled with songs that have survived radio, karaoke nights, sporting events and several generations of enthusiastic car singing.
The concert is one of the weekend’s biggest ticketed events and an easy choice for anyone who prefers their Saturday night with a full arena singing along.
WHEN: Saturday, September 26, 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Scotiabank Saddledome, 555 Saddledome Rise SE
COST: Ticket prices vary by seat
WHY GO: Hear one of rock’s biggest catalogues performed inside the Saddledome.
Find More Things To Do In Calgary
Still looking for weekend plans?
Browse the Calgary Locale event calendar for more upcoming concerts, markets, festivals, workshops and events around the city.
You can also explore our guide to 60+ things to do in Calgary this September for more ways to make the most of the month.
And if you would rather have the best picks sent directly to you, subscribe to The Locale List for our weekly edit of the best eating, seeing and doing around Calgary.