Free This Week
Wrap up August with these free happenings
Discover an array of creativity without spending a dime — this week’s free arts roundup promises to enrich your week with live music, festival offerings and much more!
Wagonstage Theatre: The Little Forest
Until August 25, 2023
Various venues
Free to attend
UCalgary Wagonstage Theatre presents The Little Forest by Clem Martini, where four siblings in a treeless neighbourhood embark on a mission to bring nature back to life. Join them on their journey at a neighbourhood near you!
arts.ucalgary.ca
John Rutherford
August 23, 2023, 12:10 – 1pm
Cathedral Church of the Redeemer (604 1st St. SE)
Free to attend
The lunch-hour concert highlights original material from blues guitar singer-songwriter John Rutherford. With mythical and historical references woven within his stories, songs and sound, Rutherford creates a powerful and poetic homage to the blues.
proartssociety.ca
Music in the Plaza
August 23, 2023, 6 – 8pm
Heritage Park (1900 Heritage Dr. SW)
Free to attend
Discover free live music in Calgary all summer long from the city’s best emerging artists! Set up your lawn chair in the plaza and enjoy the show with popcorn in hand!
heritagepark.ca
BUMP Festival
August 23 & 26, 2023,
Various venues
Free to attend
Check out the final week of the BUMP Festival as they put a spotlight on mural art in Calgary with an artist talk, mural tour and the BUMP Alley Party to cap off another successful year!
yycbump.ca
Farmers & Makers Markets: Beltline & Sunalta
August 23 & 26, 2023
Central Memorial Park & Sunalta Community Association
Free to explore
Check out the Farmers & Makers Market at two locations this summer — Wednesdays at Central Memorial Park and Saturdays in the Sunalta neighbourhood. Each week, you’ll find local farmers and producers, ready-to-eat food, live music and their free, drop-in kids arts & culture program.
farmersmakersmarket.ca
ArtsXpeditions
August 24, 2023, 12noon
Olympic Plaza (228 8th Ave. SE)
Free to attend
Join Arts Commons as it presents ArtsXpeditions, featuring a range of live music to energize your day. This week features the Powerhouze Band in partnership with Reggaefest.
artscommons.ca
Bridgeland-Riverside Farmers Market
August 24, 2023, 3:30 – 7:30pm
Bridgeland-Riverside Community Association (917 Centre Ave. NE)
Free to attend
Check out this weekly outdoor farmers’ market featuring over 30 vendors, food trucks, live music and kids activities, along with the Locally Grown Concert Series featuring awesome local bands.
brcacalgary.org
First Sound, Last Sound
August 24, 2023, 6 – 6:30pm
Esker Foundation (4th floor, 1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free to attend
At the centre of the exhibition Pulse of the Planet by Mel O’Callaghan is a performance, First Sound, Last Sound, featuring two large-scale tuning forks. Performers and audience members are called into awareness of their own somatic rhythms.
eskerfoundation.com
Expresstival
August 26, 2023, 12 – 6pm
ParkPlus Lot 6 across from The Street Eatery (311 8th St. SW)
Free to attend
ART SPOT is throwing a massive freeform art event that features nearly 100 local artists, showcasing their art in an experimental, freeform environment. Check out performances, exhibitions, installations, demos, workshops and more!
eventbrite.com
Party in the Park
August 26, 2023, 1 – 7pm
Lougheed House (707 13th Ave. SW)
Free to attend
Join BLOX & BIG Winter Classic for a free all-ages party with live music, food trucks, drinks and lawn games throughout the day! The lineup features Hand Habits from Los Angeles, Lightning Dust from Vancouver, and Shebear and the Hibernation guests!
showpass.com
Oceanic Printmaking
August 26, 2023, 3 – 5pm
Esker Foundation (4th floor, 1011 9th Ave. SE)
Free to attend, registration required
Youth are invited to an experimental workshop led by artist Eveline Kolijn. Look through an antique microscope, experiment with pressed leaf printing, and create a blacklight-active linocut of a plankton organism with fluorescent ink!
eskerfoundation.com
General Block Party
August 27, 2023, 10am – 3pm
Bridgeland-Riverside Community Association (917 Centre Ave. NE)
Free to attend
Join a free, family-friendly event to celebrate summer and community in Bridgeland! Families, friends and neighbours are invited to gather and enjoy a local maker market, vintage clothing market, live DJ and kids craft zone.
instagram.com
YYC Pop-up Pride Market
August 27, 2023, 10am – 5pm
Bridgeland-Riverside Community Association (917 Centre Ave. NE)
Free to attend
The Alberta LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce is hosting its third annual YYC Pop-up Pride Market with the purpose of showcasing incredible local businesses — celebrate Pride with music and a scheduled drag show performance.
ab-lgbt.com
Sundays in C-Square
August 27, 2023, 1 – 4pm
Celebration Square (508 7th Ave. SE)
Free to attend
Join the National Music Centre for free musical afternoons in East Village! Head down to Celebration Square and enjoy a performance from Calgary soul/R&B artist Joanna Borromeo with opener Dempsey Bolton.
studiobell.ca
Transit Tuesdays
August 29, 2023, 4:30pm
Century Gardens (826 8th St. SW)
Free to attend
Make your commute a little more exciting! Drop by Century Gardens every Tuesday to take in some special local music. Enjoy the sun, frolic in the splash pool and have a dance if you’re feeling it!
stagehand.app
Summer On 17th
Ongoing
Tomkins Park (17th Ave. & 8th St. SW)
Free to attend
From movies in the park to live bands, theatrical performances and fitness classes, the 17th Ave Business Improvement Area is pulling out all the stops to ensure this summer is epic. Visit the website for details.
17thave.ca
Summer Songs on Stephen Ave
Ongoing
Stephen Ave (8th Ave. SE)
Free to attend
Enjoy live local music on Stephen Ave this summer, supported by the Calgary Downtown Association. Check out the Stagehand website for the full schedule as well as other free concerts around the city!
stagehand.app
Have a free event that’s not listed? Email us at events@calgaryartsdevelopment.com or fill out this form.
