• Price Free

Summer is here and our week is packed! With Sled Island taking over the city, Shakespeare by the Bow opening and IGNITE! kicking off, our pocketbook is spread a little thin. But there’s always something awesome happening for free in this great city. Here’s what’s on the schedule this week:

Stephen Avenue Walk #IAMDOWNTOWN Summer Stage

June 21 – 25, 2016, 12:00pm
Stephen Avenue Summer Stage (Centre Street & 8th Ave. SE)
Free

Downtown Calgary’s Summer Stage will be hopping this week with a free noon-hour performance. This week look for The Future Relics Twenty Centuries of Stony Sleep, Jenny Allen, The Tomorrows Dance Crew, and Northern Beauties.
calgarydowntown.com

Will, Wish, Want or Purpose at Sled Island

June 22 – 25, 2016
Royal Canadian Legion #1 (116 7th Ave. SW)
Free

A great, and free, Sled Island treat worth checking out is of this installation of short films co-presented by the Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers. Curated by Justin Waddell, Will, Wish, Want or Purpose is a multi-channel installation of experimental films and videos that explore relationships, sexuality, love, and cooperation towards self-realization and actualization.
facebook.com

ProArts Presents Suncor Energy Choir

June 22, 2016, 12:10pm
Cathedral Church of the Redeemer (604 1st St. SE)
Free, family friendly

The Suncor Energy Choir brings together professionals from Suncor and others in the downtown core who love to sing. And you can hear them perform for free during this great lunch hour performance series that takes place each and every Wednesday.
proartssociety.ca

Pop-Up Picnic

June 22, 2016, 12:00 – 1:00pm
Harley Hotchkiss Park (611 4th St. SW)
Free, family friendly

Downtown Calgary’s first picnic of the season kicks off with an exciting magic show with Ryan Pilling and others. Magic is the name of the game and you can find the three magic spots throughout the park where magicians will be performing tricks. There’s even a special levitation photo booth.
calgarydowntown.com

Street Piano Duets

June 23, 2016, 12:00 – 1:00pm
Piano Bar in Eau Claire Market (200 Barclay Parade SW)
Free, family friendly

Bring your lunch and enjoy a free piano performance in the centre court of Eau Claire Market as part of Downtown Calgary’s Street Piano series. This week see Mark De Jong and Morgan McKee perform a horn and piano duet on the Piano Bar in Eau Claire Market.
calgarydowntown.com

Blue on the Avenue Launch Featuring Tim Williams

June 23, 2016, 4:00 – 6:00pm
Stephen Avenue Summer Stage (Centre Street & 8th Ave. SE)
Free, family friendly

Join host and curator Mike Watson for an exploration of local blues music on the Stephen Avenue Summer stage. This week’s performer is Tim Williams, a blues-based singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist that you won’t want to miss.
calgarydowntown.com

Market Collective x Sled Island Block Party

June 23, 2016, 4:00 – 10:00pm
Inglewood (The corner of 10th St. & 10th Ave.)
Free, all ages

Market Collective and Sled Island once again are teaming up for this annual, free, outdoor, all-ages Block Party. The party features performers including UK club demolisher Chris Lorenzo, past Sled Island highlight HUMANS, Calgary via Detroit producer Sinistarr and more exciting acts to be announced.
sledisland.com

Live From UAS, Delvis and Loucey

June 23, 2016, 7:00pm
Untitled Art Society Main Space (343 11th Ave. SW)
Free

Ever dream of strutting around town like a fancy star, while strangers gawk at your admirable style? Don’t miss your only chance to embroider, bedazzle, and accessorize your very own westernized top with Delvis and Louceee. You can even pick up Delvis and Loucey’s extremely limited edition cassette tape with accompanying text by Sophia Bartholomew. Presented as part of Sled Island’s Visual Art line-up.
uascalgary.org

Calgary Night Market

June 24, 2016, 4:00 – 10:00pm
Central Memorial Park (1221 2nd St. SW)
Free

Head down to Central Memorial Park and check out the Calgary Night Market. Featuring a variety of ethnic street foods, local vendors, buskers, and entertainment, this twice-monthly event is quickly becoming a Calgary summer fave.
facebook.com/calgarynightmarket

Power in Pictures: The Outside Circle and the Impact of the Graphic Novel

June 24, 2016, 5:00pm
Glenbow (130 9th Ave. SE)
Free

Check out the opening reception of this great exhibition. The show is the culmination of a workshop series that connected young people from Urban Society of Aboriginal Youth (USAY) with the illustrator Kelly Mellings. In a shared and collaborative space, the gallery features the art created by the USAY participants hung alongside that of the artist who taught them.
glenbow.org/programs

Music in the Parks Kick Off

June 26, 2016, 12:00 – 3:00pm
Lougheed House (707 13th Ave. SW)
Free

Music in the Parks 2016 is starting the summer off at Lougheed House to celebrate its 125th Anniversary. Including live music and entertainment, audiences can enjoy crafts, displays and more. The afternoon includes performances from Walter White Bear, a Cree singer-songwriter who has been performing acoustic and flute music for several years, and Trina Nesbito, an artist that blends rock, soul, country and blues. There will even be special snacks for sale thanks to The Restaurant at Lougheed House.
lougheedhouse.com