October is when Calgary gets theatrical.
This month you can drink cocktails inside a Halloween pop-up, ride Canada’s only moving haunted house, spend an adults-only night investigating the paranormal, eat a three-course dinner before a ghost tour, try festival-only pizzas and dress up for a 25+ black-tie Halloween cabaret.
We’ve rounded up the things actually worth putting on your calendar this October, with food, nightlife, date-night ideas, Halloween experiences, live shows, free things to do and a few reasons to get out of the city.
Last updated: October 1, 2026
Planning something sooner? See what’s happening today in Calgary, browse the best things to do in Calgary this week or explore the full Calgary events calendar.
Start Here: 12 Things We’d Book First
Don’t want to scroll through the entire list? These are the October plans we’d look at first.
Get Splattered at Evil Dead The Musical
Five college students head to a cabin in the woods, accidentally unleash an evil force and somehow turn the whole thing into a musical.
Evil Dead The Musical brings the cult horror-comedy to Alberta Theatre Projects this October, with over-the-top gore, ridiculous songs and the infamous Splatter Zone for audience members willing to sit close enough to get messy.
WHEN: October 13–November 14
WHERE: Martha Cohen Theatre, Arts Commons
PRICE: Approximately $30–$130
WHY GO: It’s basically made for October: campy, bloody, funny and a lot more chaotic than your average night at the theatre.
Have Drinks Inside The Nightmare Bar at Limericks
The Nightmare Bar is taking over Limericks Traditional Public House for select nights in October with 90-minute Halloween sessions built around themed cocktails, creepy décor, games, entertainment and photo ops.
It’s more Halloween night out than full-blown haunted house, which makes it an easy option for drinks with friends or a seasonal date night.
WHEN: Select nights, October 8–31
WHERE: Limericks Traditional Public House, 7304 Macleod Trail SE
WHY GO: Halloween drinks and atmosphere without spending the night being chased through a cornfield.
Eat Dinner Inside a Restaurant That Has Turned Into a Halloween World
For all 31 days of October, TOPS Pizza South becomes The Crypt & The Crow.
The restaurant gets a full Halloween transformation with tombstones, skulls, hidden creepy details, theatrical cocktails and themed food.
WHEN: October 1–31
WHERE: TOPS Pizza South
PRICE: Menu pricing varies
WHY GO: It turns an ordinary dinner into an October-only experience.
Ride Canada’s Only Moving Haunted House
Train of Terror at Aspen Crossing takes haunted-house season onto actual railway cars.
The night starts with three maze-style haunts before moving onto the train for a final run through haunted cars. There are bars on board, actors can physically interact with guests and staff can provide a safe word if you need out.
WHEN: Select nights through October 31
WHERE: Aspen Crossing, near Mossleigh
PRICE: Approximately $66.66–$119.99 plus fees
AGES: 18+
WHY GO: This is a full Halloween night out built around an actual moving train.
Go to an Adults-Only Paranormal Night at TELUS Spark
Spark After Dark goes paranormal on October 9.
The 18+ night keeps TELUS Spark open until midnight with paranormal-themed science, exhibits, DJs, themed cocktails and a full bar.
WHEN: October 9, 6 p.m.–midnight
WHERE: TELUS Spark Science Centre
AGES: 18+
WHY GO: You get the science centre after hours with drinks, DJs and considerably fewer children.
Do Dinner and a Ghost Tour at Heritage Park
Ghosts and Gourmet starts with a three-course Halloween dinner inside Heritage Park’s historic Wainwright Hotel.
Once dinner is over, you head into the Historical Village after dark for a ghost tour filled with haunted stories and eerie encounters.
WHEN: October 28–31, 6–9:30 p.m.
WHERE: Heritage Park, Wainwright Hotel
PRICE: $94.95 per adult
WHY GO: Dinner and the activity are already planned for you.
Spend Halloween at a 25+ Black-Tie Cabaret
The Calgary Petroleum Club is getting a darker makeover for Phantom Cabaret.
The 25+ Halloween gala combines a live fashion runway, cabaret dancers, live music, DJs, a curated market and immersive production throughout the building.
The dress code is Black Tie After Dark.
WHEN: October 30, 7:30 p.m.–1 a.m.
WHERE: Calgary Petroleum Club, 319 5 Ave SW
PRICE: Approximately $58–$68
AGES: 25+
WHY GO: A Halloween event for people who want an excuse to dress up without doing another generic nightclub party.
Eat Your Way Through YYC Pizza Fest
YYC Pizza Fest gives participating Calgary restaurants an excuse to create pizzas you cannot normally order.
The limited-edition pies run from October 2 to 18, and diners can vote on their favourites.
WHEN: October 2–18
WHERE: Participating restaurants across Calgary
PRICE: Varies
WHY GO: It gives you a legitimate reason to turn half of October into a pizza crawl.
Go to a 40-Seat, Five-Course Alberta Bison Dinner
At A Bison Tale, three chefs come together for a five-course dinner centred around Alberta bison, paired wines and stories from the rancher behind the meat.
There are only 40 seats, making this one of the month’s more intimate food events.
WHEN: October 9
WHERE: Botanicus
PRICE: Check current ticket availability
WHY GO: A one-night food experience you can’t simply book again next month.
Have Dinner, Wine and a Musical in One Downtown Block
Little Shop of Horrors is playing at Theatre Calgary, and Thomsons Kitchen & Bar has built a themed dinner around it.
The Stellar Set Menu includes three courses and a glass of house wine for $52 per person. Complimentary underground parking at the Hyatt Regency is included, and Max Bell Theatre is a short walk away.
WHEN: Through October 25
WHERE: Thomsons Kitchen & Bar + Max Bell Theatre
PRICE: $52 for dinner, plus theatre tickets
WHY GO: Dinner, wine, parking and a show are handled in one downtown date night.
Go to an Adults-Only Halloween Night at Heritage Park
Carnival of Curiosities – Adult Night takes over Heritage Park on October 22.
The 18+ night includes tarot and palm readers, a Halloween cocktail, a photo booth, giant maze, Halloween market, haunted house and after-dark entertainment throughout the Historical Village.
WHEN: October 22, 6–10 p.m.
WHERE: Heritage Park
PRICE: $29.95 plus GST
AGES: 18+
WHY GO: Heritage Park gets substantially more interesting after dark.
Go to a Japanese High Tea With a Calgary Opera Performance
This is not your standard hotel afternoon tea.
The Calgary Japanese Community Association is pairing tea from Matsu Kaze Tea, artisan sweets and a live Calgary Opera performance.
WHEN: October 4
WHERE: Calgary Japanese Community Association, 2236 29 St SW
PRICE: $45 plus GST
WHY GO: Tea and opera is an unexpectedly good Sunday combination.
Drink Wine Through a Twizzler Straw
Junk & Juice might be the least serious wine tasting happening in Calgary this month.
The lineup includes Champagne with chips, Chardonnay with popcorn, dessert wine with TimTams and Beaujolais through a Twizzler straw.
WHEN: October 30
WHERE: Calgary Co-op Beddington Wine Spirits Beer
WHY GO: Finally, a wine tasting that does not require pretending you smell graphite.
Free + Cheap Things to Do
Dance to House Music Inside Alforno
Tres Beaches is throwing a free afternoon day party inside Alforno Eau Claire for the café’s 10th anniversary.
Expect house music, free coffee and mini bites while supplies last. Capacity is limited, so arriving early is the move.
WHEN: October 3, 2–6 p.m.
WHERE: Alforno, Eau Claire
PRICE: Free
Watch Giant Pumpkins Get Carved Live
The Colossal Carve brings champion carver Yann Blanchard to Calgary Farmers’ Market to turn pumpkins weighing hundreds of pounds into giant sculptures.
You can also guess the weight of one of the pumpkins for a chance to win a Thanksgiving market basket.
WHEN: October 3–4
WHERE: Calgary Farmers’ Market West on Saturday and South on Sunday
PRICE: Free
Get a Flash Tattoo Inside McMahon Stadium
Little Modern Market is taking over the Red & White Club at McMahon Stadium with local makers, food trucks, workshops, giveaways and flash tattoos.
The first 50 shoppers also get a free market tote.
WHEN: October 3, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
WHERE: Red & White Club at McMahon Stadium
PRICE: Free with a Calgary Food Bank donation
Walk 5K, Then Stay for a Dance Party
theWALK.ca is holding a Thanksgiving Monday 5K in support of the Calgary Food Bank, followed by a dance party at Eau Claire Plaza.
WHEN: October 12
WHERE: Eau Claire Plaza
PRICE: Free
Take Your Dog to Puptoberfest
East Village celebrates fall and dogs with Puptoberfest, featuring live music, fall décor, Instagram-worthy moments and a dog fashion show at 2 p.m.
WHEN: October 17, 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
WHERE: RiverWalk Plaza, East Village
PRICE: Free
See 17th Avenue Turn Into a Carnival of Curiosities
Halloween on 17th Ave brings two days of strange sights, curious creatures and Halloween entertainment to Tomkins Park.
WHEN: October 23–24
WHERE: Tomkins Park, 17 Ave SW
PRICE: Free
Food + Drink Worth Booking
Try Quails’ Gate Wines at True Wild for $55
Quails’ Gate is coming to Calgary for two October wine events.
The more casual option is an October 7 reception at True Wild with a welcome wine and four wine-and-canapé pairings for $55.
The following evening, Modern Steak hosts a four-course Quails’ Gate and Ailm Estate winemaker dinner for $160.
WHEN: October 7–8
WHERE: True Wild + Modern Steak
PRICE: $55 or $160 depending on event
Book a One-Night Brusco x Cardinale Dinner
Brusco x Cardinale Wine Dinner is a one-night collaboration featuring five courses with wine pairings.
WHEN: October 4
WHERE: Cardinale
PRICE: $150 per person
WHY GO: A collaboration menu that exists for one night only.
Go to Oktoberfest at the Racetrack
Paulaner Official Oktoberfest at Century Downs combines Bavarian food and beer with horse racing, live music, a stein-holding competition and the Alberta Sales Stakes.
WHEN: October 3
WHERE: Century Downs Racetrack and Casino
PRICE: Free
Head to Banff for a Three-Day Craft Beer Festival
The Banff Craft Beer Festival brings more than 40 food and beverage vendors to the Cave and Basin National Historic Site.
WHEN: October 22–24
WHERE: Cave and Basin National Historic Site, Banff
PRICE: From approximately $69.99
Halloween + After Dark
We’re also building a separate Halloween in Calgary guide with the deeper list of haunted houses, pop-up bars, Halloween parties and October 31 events.
These are the bigger experiences worth knowing about now.
Walk Through Thousands of Glowing Pumpkins
Pumpkins After Dark fills WinSport with thousands of carved pumpkins, large-scale displays, music, special effects and live carving demonstrations.
WHEN: Through October 31
WHERE: WinSport
PRICE: Approximately $17–$31 plus fees
SAVE: Use code CALGARYLOCALE for 10% off regular tickets.
Get Scared at ScreamFest
ScreamFest returns with multiple haunted houses and Halloween carnival games across select October nights.
WHEN: October 9–31 on select nights
WHERE: GMC Stadium
PRICE: From approximately $35
SAVE: Use code CALGARYLOCALE for 10% off regular tickets.
WHY GO: This is the full haunted-house night rather than one quick walkthrough.
Spend the Night at Field of Screams
Field of Screams transforms Cobb’s Adventure Park into a 20-acre Halloween attraction with six haunted houses, rides, activities, food and drinks.
There is also a scarier, licensed 18+ night on October 22.
WHEN: October 9, 10, 16, 17, 22, 23 and 24
WHERE: Cobb’s Adventure Park
PRICE: $33 plus fees online; adults-only night $37 plus fees online
Pick Your Own Haunted Inglewood Adventure
Haunted Historic Inglewood turns Calgary’s oldest neighbourhood into a month-long Halloween menu.
Events include ghost tours, paranormal investigations, murder mystery nights, pub crawls and psychic readings.
WHEN: October 1–31
WHERE: Inglewood
PRICE: Mix of free and ticketed events
Listen to Creepy Tales Over Cocktails
Creepy Tales & Cocktails at The Confluence starts with a signature cocktail before taking guests through eerie stories around the site and Inglewood.
WHEN: October 10, 15, 16 and 17
WHERE: The Confluence Historic Site and Parkland
PRICE: $55 plus fees
AGES: 18+
WHY GO: Ghost stories are better with a cocktail.
Stay Up for a 12-Hour Horror Movie Marathon
The Calgary Underground Film Festival’s 12-Hour Halloween Horror Movie Marathon runs from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. with seven horror movies, a costume contest and other surprises at Globe Cinema.
WHEN: October 24–25
WHERE: Globe Cinema
PRICE: $25 regular; $23 for members, students and seniors
Solve a Mystery at The Military Museums
Mystery at the Museums sends guests back to 1912 for an interactive mystery set against the Balkan War.
WHEN: October 23
WHERE: The Military Museums
PRICE: $60
AGES: 18+
Date Nights + Nights Out
Watch Comedians Get Couples Counselling From Nobody Qualified
Couples Clownselling puts stand-up comedians and their actual partners on stage to be “therapized” by someone with no formal qualifications.
That is, thankfully, the joke.
WHEN: October 3, 7 p.m.
WHERE: Vern’s
PRICE: Approximately $25–$32
WHY GO: Considerably cheaper than actual couples counselling.
Go to a Halloween Murder Mystery Dinner at Lougheed House
The Halloween Murder Mystery Dinner at Lougheed House starts as a town hall meeting where opinions run strong, tensions rise and someone does not make it to dessert.
The interactive evening also includes a three-course dinner.
WHEN: October 24
WHERE: Lougheed House
PRICE: $130 per person
Dress Up for a Moonlight Masquerade
The Mystic Moonlight Masquerade Gala Ball takes over the Fairmont Palliser with fine dining, live entertainment, performances, a DJ afterparty and a formal masquerade dress code.
WHEN: October 23
WHERE: Fairmont Palliser
PRICE: $299 for evening-only admission; $499 for the full gala
Theatre + Shows Worth Leaving the House For
Help Solve Clue on Stage
Clue: The Musical turns the classic board game into an interactive production where the audience helps solve the murder of Mr. Boddy.
With multiple possible endings, the show can change from performance to performance.
WHEN: October 16–24
WHERE: Pumphouse Theatres
PRICE: $28
See a 100-Year-Old Silent Film With a Live Organ Score
Faust turns 100 this year, and Calgary Cinematheque and the National Music Centre are marking it with screenings at Studio Bell accompanied by a live score on the Allen Theatre Organ.
WHEN: October 15–17
WHERE: Studio Bell
PRICE: $40.20 plus GST
See Danny Bhoy
Scottish comedian Danny Bhoy returns to Calgary with his new show Dear World….
WHEN: October 18, 7 p.m.
WHERE: Jack Singer Concert Hall
PRICE: Approximately $56.91–$80.10
Concerts Worth Knowing About
DJ Shadow Celebrates 30 Years of Endtroducing
DJ Shadow marks three decades of his landmark debut album Endtroducing at The Palace.
WHEN: October 29
WHERE: The Palace Theatre
AGES: 18+
The Zolas Play Swooner for Its 10th Anniversary
The Zolas bring their Swooner Anniversary Tour to Calgary.
WHEN: October 15
WHERE: Commonwealth Bar
PRICE: Check current ticket pricing
See Branford Marsalis + Dianne Reeves
The Branford Marsalis Quartet and Dianne Reeves honour the 100th anniversary of John Coltrane’s birth at the Jack Singer Concert Hall.
WHEN: October 14
WHERE: Jack Singer Concert Hall
PRICE: Approximately $76–$109
See The Dark Side of the Moon Performed in Full
Brit Floyd brings its The Moon, The Wall and Beyond production to Grey Eagle, including The Dark Side of the Moon in full plus highlights from The Wall.
WHEN: October 24
WHERE: Grey Eagle Event Centre
PRICE: Approximately $69.83–$184.14 plus fees
Try a Synth Soundbath at Studio Bell
This is not quite a concert and not quite a wellness class.
Synth Soundbath: Buchla 200 explores the overlap between sound, wellness and music technology using one of the National Music Centre’s iconic synthesizers.
WHEN: October 25, 11 a.m.
WHERE: Studio Bell
PRICE: $19
Worth the Drive
Go Ghost Hunting in Banff
Banff Canmore Ghost Walks takes guests through Banff’s historic streets after dark while guides share local ghost stories and history.
WHEN: Nightly through November 30
WHERE: Banff
WHY GO: A mountain-town walk is considerably more atmospheric after dark in October.
Spend a Weekend at Banff Pride
Banff Pride Festival fills the mountains with 10 days of parties, drag, burlesque, outdoor experiences, markets, community events and nightlife.
WHEN: October 2–12
WHERE: Banff
PRICE: Mix of free and ticketed events
Take an After-Dark Ghost Walk in Okotoks
The Okotoks Ghost Tours explore downtown after dark with stories led by the Okotoks Museum and Archives and the Okotoks and District Historical Society.
WHEN: October 28–30
WHERE: Okotoks Museum & Archives
PRICE: $7.33
Spend Half a Day Underground in Canmore
Canmore Cave Tours’ Explorer Tour is a 4.5-hour guided caving experience with roughly two-and-a-half hours underground, including ancient bones, cave formations and optional squeezes.
WHEN: Year-round
WHERE: Canmore
PRICE: $149 + GST for adults; $129 + GST for ages 10–15
Find More Things to Do in Calgary This October
We’ll keep updating this guide as new pop-ups, restaurant experiences, concerts and events are announced throughout the month.
Looking for something happening sooner? Browse things to do in Calgary today, check the best things to do this week or explore the full Calgary events calendar.
Planning Halloween? Our dedicated Halloween in Calgary guide will go deeper into haunted houses, Halloween bars, pop-ups, adults-only events and October 31 parties.
And if you’d rather have us do the filtering for you, subscribe to The Locale List, our weekly edit of what’s new, what’s happening and what’s actually worth leaving the house for in Calgary.