Kensington Sun and Salsa Festival July 25 2010

Put it in your calendar – July 25th, 2010 marks the date for the 17th annual Sun & Salsa Festival in Calgary. Come join the merchants of Kensington Village as we close down the streets to cars and open them up to the people of Calgary. Tantalize your taste buds with over 40 of the most unique salsas you’ve ever experienced prepared by Kensington restaurants, and vote for your favorite. Get swept up in the music as you dance to one of the many live bands. Learn a new move with Salsa dance demonstrations, or practice an old one on the beach volleyball courts. Make it a family event and let the kids run at the Kid Carnival, and make sure Fido gets taken care of too at our dog-watering station. Enjoy the shopping as many merchants celebrate the day with sales, or find that hard-to-find gift from one of the local vendors who set up for the day. Help support local charities too, as the proceeds from chip and water sales go directly to the Brenda Strafford Center and Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids.

The Kensington Village 2010 Sun & Salsa Festival, an experience that will not soon be forgotten.
More details at www.visitkensington.com

Asian Heritage Month

During the month of May, there are many exciting events taking place in the city of Calgary as part of Asian Heritage Month. To give you an idea of some of the highlights, please see the official press release below:

Discover the riches in the fabric of our lives
This May, experience Asian Heritage Month

Asian Heritage Month engages people of all backgrounds through events that foster awareness of the broad spectrum of Asian Canadian’s social participation and cultural heritage. The Asian Heritage Foundation (AHF) hosts ImaginASIAN celebrations in Calgary throughout the month of May.
Back by popular demand are the “Find the CanASIAN in You” Bus Tours, which visit different communities on each Sunday and affords the experience of sights and sounds and tastes of Asia. The youth programs have been expanded to encompass visual arts, theatre and dance. The I HeART YOUTHinASIA art show promises to be a revelation of artistic talent among Asian Canadian youth. ACCT-OUT improvisational theatre was extremely well-received in 2009, and this year sees the participation of Asian Canadian high school students from across Calgary in “Meet the Asians”. New to the Festival is the New Millenium Allstyles dance showcase and competition, featuring local dance crews and a special guest performance by Quest Crew.
Also this May, the ImaginASIAN Film Series screens three very different, but uniformly excellent films: Mao’s Last Dancer, One Crazy Ride, and All About Dad. In June is the special Bollywood Extravaganza, with sumptuous dinner, entertainment and demonstrations to wrap up ImaginASIAN. As an ongoing project from last year, AHF raises support for the From Asian shores to Alberta Prairies project that purchases books and materials for public libraries, reflecting the increasing diversity of library users across the province.

For tickets and information, visit www.asianheritagecalgary.ca.

Carifest Calgary

Carifest is a long standing annual festival which celebrates all things Caribbean by showcasing the culture, music and food of the many nations located throughout the Caribbean.
This year’s event takes place from June 5-12 2010, and promises to be as fun filled and popular as ever.
The festival starts on June 5th with a Caribbean Gospel Concert which takes place at the Full Gospel Tabernacle Church in NE Calgary from 7-10pm.
The following weekend, on June 11th the Friday Night Gala and Costume Show will feature singers performing a full range of Caribbean music, with prizes awarded for the best performers which will take into account both the singing and and the carnival costumes. This showcase takes place at the Theatre Junction Grand (608 1st St SW) starting at 7:30pm.
On June 12th, the Carifest Parade will start at 11am from Olympic Plaza, finishing at Shaw Millenium Park. The parade promises to be a lively and colourful affair with carnival bands from across the country competing for cash prizes based on their performance and costumes.

The parade will lead into the main event, the Sunshine Festival, at Shaw Millenium Park, where live Caribbean music will be accompanied by food and crafts from across the Caribbean. The Sunshine Festival runs until 7pm and admission is free.
For more information about Carifest, including photos and video from previous years, be sure to visit www.carifestcalgary.com

Calgary Reggae Festival

Whether you are a fan of reggae music, or just appreciate a fun event for the whole family, you will be happy to hear that the Calgary International Reggae Festival will once again be providing a weekend of entertainment and activities from August 19-21 2010. You can be sure there will be a high calibre of reggae musicians performing throughout the festival, and the list of artists includes Beres Hammond, Inner Circle, Culture featuring Kenyatta Hill, Lenya Wilks, Mello G, Mandy Woods, Lil Bit, Progress, Tony Anthony and Strugglah.
At the main event on Saturday 21st, as well as the fantastic music, you can expect to find a beer garden, a separate youth area, interesting arts & crafts, colourful clothing, and food vendors where you will be able to sample a taste of authentic Caribbean cuisine.
We will be adding new information about the festival as it becomes available, so stay tuned! In the meantime, be sure to make a note of the dates in your summer entertainment calendar!
For further information about the festival, visit the official website at www.reggaefest.ca
Tickets for the festival are already on sale at www.ticketweb.ca

A Day of History & Culture in Calgary

With a skyline filled with modern tall buildings and office blocks, and branded as the ‘Heart of the New West‘, you could be forgiven for thinking that Calgary does not have much to offer those interested in looking back in time to a bygone era. However a little exploration reveals a city rich in culture and proud of its history, and a visit to any or all of the following excellent museums would be a fantastic start to appreciating that history for yourself.

Fort Calgary

Located a short distance from downtown Calgary in the trendy neighbourhood of Inglewood, Fort Calgary is an interpretive centre based in an accurately re-built version of an original 1875 North West Mounted Police post. The Fort has its own history to tell with stories of the Mounted Police who originally inhabited the settlement, and also tells the history of the city of Calgary from 1875 to the 1940s. Highlights include a ride in a virtual streetcar through scenes of Calgary’s past, historic stores and places of work, pleasant pathways through a community garden, and a general store where you can buy RCMP and Canadiana souvenirs. Also on site is the historic Deane House Restaurant which offers excellent lunch and brunch menus.
Fort Calgary is open year round and is not to be missed!
For further information and for opening times, prices and special events visit www.fortcalgary.com

Aerospace Museum of Calgary

Aptly located close to Calgary Airport, the mission of the Aerospace Museum of Calgary is “to promote the appreciation of Western Canadian contributions in aviation and space”. Exhibits include full aircraft in a large hangar including a Lancaster Bomber from World War 2, a Sopwith Triplane from World War 1, civil aviation and recreational aircraft, and vintage helicopters. Other highlights include a collection of 58 aeronautical engines, flight simulators, and aircraft memorabilia including artwork and interesting wartime photos.
The museum is a must-see for aviation enthusiasts and even visitors with just a passing interest are sure to be impressed by the larger exhibits of these magnificent vintage aircraft.
For more information, visit www.asmac.ab.ca

Glenbow Museum

Both a museum and an art gallery, the Glenbow is certainly Calgary’s most famous and most popular museum with an eclectic range of exhibits that finds appeal with visitors with a wide range of interests. Located in the heart of downtown opposite the Calgary Tower, the impressive building houses permanent exhibitions which have a strong focus on the history, heritage and culture of western Canada, including an excellent portrayal of native cultures from Alberta and across the country. Also of note are the Asian Gallery, the Mineralogy Exhibition, and an exhibition dedicated to 5 centuries of warriors and war in different cultures across the world.
There are also many temporary exhibitions from the Glenbow’s own collections and travelling exhibitions from international museums.
Such is the quality of this museum, many people visit Calgary specifically to visit the Glenbow, and if you are in Calgary for other reasons, you really owe it to yourself to include it in your itinerary.
For further information, and to find out more about the current exhibitions visit www.glenbow.org

Tours and Day Trips from Calgary

The city of Calgary and its environs offer many interesting ways for a visitor to spend a spare day or two. Indeed Calgary is the gateway to some of the most popular travel destinations in the world. Whether you are here for business or pleasure, it is well worthwhile setting some time aside to enjoy some of the wonderful destinations within or outside of the city, and to help you make the most of that time, below you will find four different ways to explore Calgary and the surrounding area.

Sightseeing Bus Tours

Brewster Sightseeing Excursions offer several scheduled tours on luxury motor coaches with large viewing windows which pick up at hotels in downtown Calgary. Their guided tours include a Calgary City Sights Tour, tours to Banff with a ride on the Banff Gondola, and a Mountain Lakes and Waterfalls tour which takes in the best of Banff, Lake Louise and Yoho National Park. It’s worth noting that the Banff tour can bring you back to Calgary or drop you off in Banff or Lake Louise, providing a convenient way to travel from Calgary for an extended trip to the Canadian Rockies.
For further details of Brewster tours from Calgary visit www.explorerockies.com.

Customized Sightseeing Tours

Blue Sky Tours offers Alberta’s only customized guided tours in private vehicles to all the most popular destinations in the Calgary area and beyond. Tours are completely personalized with pickups from anywhere in Calgary and times and itineraries are flexible to suit your own schedule and interests. Suggested tours within the city include a Calgary City Highlights tour, Antique Shopping in Calgary, and a tour of Calgary’s Olympic and sports venues. Further afield, the tour to Drumheller takes in the Royal Tyrrell Museum, the world famous museum of palaeontology, as well as the Canadian Badlands. Tours to the Canadian Rockies destinations of Kananaskis Country, Banff and Lake Louise are also offered.
For more information and for further suggestions, visit www.albertablueskytours.com.

Horseback Riding

A wide selection of horseback adventures are offered by Anchor D Guiding and Outfitting, based on a ranch west of Turner Valley, just an hour from Calgary. Their trips range from 2 hour, 3 hour or full day trail rides to multi-day backcountry horseback trips and ranch vacations. Regardless of which trip you take, you will be riding top quality horses and treated to the breathtaking scenery of the foothills of the Canadian Rockies and the prairies of Alberta.
For more information and to see some great photos of their tours, visit www.anchord.com.

White Water Rafting

Inside Out Experience offer several half or full day rafting adventures from beginner to advanced level either on the Elbow River starting near Bragg Creek, or on the Kananaskis River or through the Horseshoe Canyon, both starting near Seebe. They also offer a combined mountain biking and rafting experience in the beautiful Elbow Valley, as well as their unique Horses & River Courses tour. Starting summer 2010, this new tour will include an overnight stay at the Homeplace Ranch in Priddis, followed by a day of horseback riding and whitewater rafting in the beautiful foothills of the Canadian Rockies.
For more information about these and other tours, visit www.insideoutexperience.com.

BBQ On The Bow Festival

   

September 4 and 5 2010 sees the 18th Annual BBQ on the Bow Festival, a popular and entertaining event for adults and kids alike taking place at Eau Claire Market in downtown Calgary.
To give you an idea of the fun activities taking place at the Festival, please see the official press release below:

18TH ANNUAL BBQ ON THE BOW FESTIVAL – SEP 4 & 5 at EAU CLAIRE MARKET
CALGARY, ALBERTA……… BBQ On The Bow Society will host the 18th Annual BBQ On The Bow Festival 2010 – Sat, Sep 4 from 1:00 to 5:00 PM and Sun, Sep 5 from 10:30 AM to 5:30 PM at Eau Claire Festival Market. We are Canada’s Oldest BBQ Competition and home of the Alberta BBQ Championship.

Join us for a SMOKING HOT FESTIVAL of activities. The Saturday kicks-off with team arrivals, the Big Rock Beer BBQ Sauce Competition and BBQ’s Galore Chef’s Challenge.

The main event on Sunday hosts live Main Stage Entertainment featuring local concert bands, Stampede Talent Search winners and headlines top Canadian blues musicians with some very special guests.

Other activities on Sunday include the Alberta BBQ Championship & Awards Ceremony, Children’s Craft Tent and Children’s Entertainers, a BBQ Food Pit Concession & Kicking Horse Coffee Tent, Street Zone with displays and vendors and the General Store featuring Alberta fresh corn & tomatoes, BBQ sauces and cookbooks by local authors for sale to the public.

Debra Wong, Executive Producer states, “In an effort to support local Alberta Producers, Celebrity Chefs will be grilling up their favorite recipes in the BBQ On The Bow Kitchen from 10:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Some of the dishes are simply amazing and it’s a great way to promote our local Producers”.

So join us for a fun filled day at the 18th Annual BBQ On The Bow Festival 2010.
Sat and Sun, Sept 4 & 5 at Eau Claire Festival Market in the heart of downtown Calgary.
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC – FREE OF CHARGE.

For info go to www.bbqonthebow.com

Traditional Delectable Dining

Among the fast paced bustle of Calgary hotels, it is still possible to find a traditional and relaxed dining experience at The Rimrock. Located at the Fairmont Palliser, this downtown Calgary restaurant offers exquisite service and remarkable food for breakfast lunch and dinner. With such decadent dishes as Seared Giant Canadian Sea Scallop and Parmesan Crusted Rack of Alberta Lamb, you will not be disappointed.
Reservations are recommended – call 403 260 1219
133 9th Avenue SW, Calgary, Alberta

Kensington Riverside Inn

With a unique location in one of Calgary’s traditional city centre neighbourhoods, the Kensington Riverside Inn offers a pleasant alternative to staying in the downtown core, while still being within walking distance of the Calgary business district.
Guest rooms are very well appointed with Egyptian cotton sheets, and special consideration given to business needs with a large desk, data port and wireless internet access. With morning coffee and a newspaper delivered to the door and a gourmet breakfast included, you will certainly be well taken care of, whether visiting Calgary for business or pleasure.
In addition, the small village of Kensington has all the amenities you might need outside of working hours, with trendy restaurants, cool bars, and eclectic shopping.

In the Heart of Downtown

If you are looking for a hotel in downtown Calgary and convenience is your main priority, we have put together a shortlist of hotels that are situated as close as you can possibly get to the heart of the city:

Of all downtown Calgary hotels, perhaps the most central of them all is the Hyatt Regency Calgary, located at 700 Centre Street in the core of the downtown shopping and business district. See map.

The Calgary Marriott Hotel at 100 9th Ave also has an enviable location, just a stone’s throw away from the business and leisure facilities of downtown Calgary.
See map.

The Fairmont Hotel Palliser rounds out the selection, found at 133 9th Ave SW, you can walk to anywhere you might need to go in Calgary city centre.
See map.

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