Free This Week
Kick off your June with music, markets and more! Check out the outdoor Indigenous Night Market, wander the iconic 4th Street Lilac Festival, catch New West Symphony & Chorus’s Community Concert, dive into DIY culture at Zine Party, and lots more in this week’s roundup.
QCC Open Mic
June 4, 2026, 7 pm
Shelf Life Books (100, 1302 4 St. SW)
Free to attend
Queer Creators of Calgary hosts an Open Mic at Shelf Life Books. Sing your heartaches, spill your vibrant poems, enthrall with your fine fictions. Whatever you seek to share is welcome and encouraged.
shelflifebooks.ca
Free First Thursday
June 4, 2026, 5 – 9 pm
Contemporary Calgary (701 11 St. SW)
Free to attend, registration required
Join Contemporary Calgary for Free First Thursday. Celebrate the opening of three solo exhibitions as you explore the galleries, join guided exhibition tours, participate in drop-in art-making sessions and more.
contemporarycalgary.com
Jam Session with Julio
June 4, 2026, 7 – 9 pm
Alcove Core (244 7 Ave. SW)
Free to explore
Thursday Night Jam Sessions are a welcoming space for musicians, poets, singers and attendees to play non-stop music with one another in an open circle, “living room” setting. All skill levels are welcome to participate. This week’s jam is hosted by Julio.
alcoveartscentre.ca
Single Onion presents Open Mic Night
June 4, 2026, 7 – 9 pm
Stonyslope Brewing Company (9620 Elbow Dr. SW)
Free to explore
Join Single Onion for poetry, performance and community readings. Headliner Ian FitzGerald delivers playful, performative poems inspired by advertising, alongside an open mic for local writers.
facebook.com
Indigenous Night Market
June 5, 2026, 4 – 9 pm
Confluence Plaza, St. Patrick’s Island (1300 12 St. NE)
Free to explore
Experience a vibrant celebration of Indigenous art, culture and storytelling. Curated by EagleSpeaker Group Inc., the market brings together local artists and makers, and features drummers and dancers along with an Indigenous Knowledge Keeper.
facebook.com
Wandering Souls Night Market
June 5, 2026, 5 – 10 pm
Renfrew Community Association (811 Radford Rd. NE)
Free to explore
Check out 70-plus local makers, food trucks, intuitive readers, entertainment and more. Every gathering brings together kind souls, meaningful conversations and a sense of community that keeps growing long after the night ends.
facebook.com
Treasure or Trinkets 2
June 6, 2026, 10 am – 3pm
Alberta Craft Gallery & Shop, cSPACE Marda Loop (2nd floor, 1721 29 Ave. SW)
Free to attend
Bring your cherished jewelry pieces for a thorough cleaning and assessment by a talented panel of expert jewellers. This is your chance to share the fascinating history behind your pieces and learn about the materials and techniques that were used to create them.
albertacraft.ab.ca
Zine Party
June 6, 2026, 11 am – 5 pm
Alcove Centre for the Arts (244 7 Ave. SW)
Free to attend
Zine Party is back! Shelf Life Books is partnering with Alcove to present the spring 2026 edition of this celebration of DIY culture and underground artists. Buy and trade with local zinesters exhibiting their art and wares.
shelflifebooks.ca
Contemporary Conversations: Ghazaleh Avarzamani in conversation with Mona Filip
June 6, 2026, 2 pm
Contemporary Calgary (701 11 St. SW)
Free to attend, registration required
To mark the opening of Ghazaleh Avarzamani’s solo show Churn, Earn, Burn and then Return, join a conversation with the artist and chief curator Mona Filip, reflecting on the central themes of the exhibition, exploring how familiar structures like games, playgrounds and manuals subtly reinforce the rules and power.
contemporarycalgary.com
Spring Art Show
June 6, 2026, 10 am – 4 pm
McKenzie Towne Hall (40 Mckenzie Towne Blvd. SE)
Free to explore
The Passionate Painters Art Group presents its Spring Art Show. Everyone is welcome to come and see what the artists have been working on.
facebook.com
NMC Presents: Voices of Canada Black Music Month Edition
June 6, 2026, 11 am – 4 pm
Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre (850 4 Street SE)
Free to attend
Join National Music Centre for a free celebration of Black music, culture and creativity, curated by MuchMusic legend Master T and hosted by NMC’s Rebecca Bukasa.
studiobell.ca
Open Window — Opening Reception
June 6, 2026, 2 – 4 pm
Newzones Gallery of Contemporary Art (730 11 Ave. SW)
Free to attend
Join Newzones for the opening of the solo exhibition Open Window by Canadian abstract painter Jonathan Forrest, who will be in attendance for the event.
instagram.com
New West Symphony & Chorus’s Concert in the Community
June 6, 2026, 2:30 – 4 pm
Parkdale Community Association (3512 5 Ave. SW)
Free to attend
New West Symphony & Chorus is celebrating the end of its 16th season with an outdoor concert presenting the Best of the Season. Bring your lawn chair and your family or your neighbour for an energy-filled afternoon of great music.
newwestsociety.com
4th Street Lilac Festival
June 7, 2026, 10 am – 6 pm
4 Street SW (Between 12 Ave. & Elbow Dr. SW)
Free to attend
Kick off Calgary’s vibrant festival season with the 4th Street Lilac Festival. Stroll through a pedestrian-friendly venue filled with live musical performances, artisan vendors and quality entertainment.
lilacfestival.net
Fesojaiye night
June 7, 2026, 6 – 8 pm
cSPACE Marda Loop (1721 29 Ave. SW)
Free to attend, registration required
FESOJAIYE Night brings together art, storytelling,and conversation around mental health, dementia, caregiving, and healing. Featuring speakers, personal stories and an art exhibition supporting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Calgary and Area, the evening centres on community, connection and care.
events.humanitix.com
Kindred Spirits – A Book Arts Exhibition
June 8, 2026, 7 – 9 pm
Central Library (300 3 St. SE)
Free to attend, registration required
The Canadian Bookbinders and Book Artists Guild (CBBAG) presents a special themed exhibition in celebration of the 150th birthday of Canadian writer Lucy Maud Montgomery, author of the Anne of Green Gables series and many other publications.
eventbrite.ca
Window Case Concert with Kawalease Arab Canadian Theatre
June 10, 2026, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm
Alcove Core (244 7 Ave. SW)
Free to attend
Come down for a monthly instalment of Window Case Concerts. Enjoy live music as you stroll down 7th Ave and 2nd St. SW. Plus, drop into the art space to get crafty with the variety of art supplies and instruments.
alcoveartscentre.ca
ProArts@Noon: Michael McHugh
June 10, 2026, 12:10 – 1 pm
Cathedral Church of the Redeemer (604 1 St. SE)
Free to attend
With virtuosic brilliance, emotional depth and attention to nuance, young harpsichordist Michael McHugh breathes fresh life into works of the Baroque keyboard repertoire, featuring works by J.S. Bach, W.F. Bach, Royer, Girolamo Frescobaldi and Louis Couperin.
proartssociety.ca
Have a free event that’s not listed? Email us at events@calgaryartsdevelopment.com or fill out this form.
