Calgary Locale

Two Calgary restaurants are officially in the running to be named among the best new restaurants in Canada. 🍣🍸

Air Canada has revealed the 30 finalists for its 2026 Best New Restaurants list, and both Sushi 準(Jun) Omakase Calgary and pennycrownyyc made the cut.

Sushi Jun is an intimate omakase counter tucked above Ryuko on Macleod Trail, where chef Jun Young Park serves a carefully paced menu featuring fish flown in largely from Japan and Spain.

Over in Marda Loop, Penny Crown Tavern brings dark, moody New York tavern energy to the neighbourhood, with martinis, bone marrow, sticky toffee pudding and a burger served on a house-made duck-fat bun.

Penny Crown comes from Tony Migliarese and Rebecca Kettle, the same husband-and-wife team behind DOPO and Bar Rocca . DOPO was also named an Air Canada finalist in 2025.

The national Top 10 will be revealed in November.

Have you tried either one yet?

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NEW WATERSLIDE COMING SOON // FIRST LOOK

Calgary just got its first look at the new waterslide coming to Village Square Leisure Centre. 🛝💦

The colourful new attraction will replace the Thunder Slide, which closed earlier this year after more than 30 years of twists, turns and very chilly climbs to the top.

Unlike the original open-air slide, the new version will be fully enclosed, making it better suited to Calgary weather. Riders can expect a winding route with translucent sections that create a changing colour effect along the way.

The bold red, pink, purple, orange and yellow design will bring a completely new look to the pool, while keeping one of Village Square’s most memorable attractions alive for another generation.

We’ll have to wait a while to try it, though. Village Square Leisure Centre and the new waterslide are expected to reopen near the end of 2027.

What do you think of the new design?

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Comment WEEKEND and we’ll send you all the details for these picks, plus even more fun things to do in Calgary! 👇

There’s a lot happening from September 18 to 20, including:

🎈 A hot-air-balloon glow after dark
🕷️ A four-level escape-room adventure
🍷 More than 700 drinks at Calgary’s biggest wine + food festival
🧀 A 100-kilogram Asiago cheese wheel cracking
🍜 $1.99 noodles at a new Chinatown restaurant
🐕 A free dog talent show
🎧 A free Dos Leches party
🏺 A pottery date night with wine + a live DJ
🍝 A hands-on gnocchi workshop
🛍️ A one-day antique + collectibles market

Which one would you check out first?

Save this post for the weekend and send it to the person you want to explore Calgary with. ✨

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Comment PIZZA and we’ll send you the address + map to check it out! 🍕

A Calgary pizza spot has once again been named one of the best in the world. 🌎

Pizza Culture Napoletana ranked #80 on the 50 Top Pizza World 2026 list, moving up one spot from #81 last year.

This marks the third consecutive year the Edmonton Trail pizzeria has appeared in the global ranking. It first landed at #96 in 2024 before climbing to 81 in 2025.

The international guide praised Pizza Culture’s uncompromising Neapolitan style, soft and elastic dough and high-quality ingredients. It specifically recommended the Napoli 3.0, topped with anchovies, marinated cherry tomatoes and oregano.

Have you been to Pizza Culture yet?

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calgary

Girls are often told to “be confident.” This Calgary event gives them a chance to discover what that actually looks and feels like. 🔥

Created by seventh-degree black belt Master Theresa Stanley, Theresa Stanley, the Girls On Fire Confidence Conference is a fast-paced day of dancing, crafts, new friendships, women mentors and self-defence for girls ages 8 to 13.

Throughout the day, girls will build a practical Confidence Tool Kit while exploring body image, self-esteem, mindfulness, friendships, bullying, cyber safety and mental and physical health.

Then comes the powerful finale.

Each girl will write a challenge or limiting belief on a real wooden martial arts board before physically breaking through it.

The goal? To help girls leave walking a little taller and recognizing their own inner warrior.

📅 Saturday, October 3, 2026
⏰ 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
📍 Sunalta Community Hall
🎟️ $79, including activities, lunch, snacks and a swag bag

Read the full story and find registration details through the link in our bio.

Sponsored by Girls On Fire.

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THIS IS BIG, CALGARY! 🏂🔥

For the first time ever, the X Games are coming to Canada, and they’re coming to WinSport.

X Games Calgary will run from February 19 to 21, 2027, bringing some of the world’s best skiers and snowboarders to the city for Big Air, Knuckle Huck, Slopestyle and SuperPipe competitions.

And it won’t just be about the sports. The weekend will include two nights of live music featuring Steve Aoki and Levity. 🎶

Calgary will be the second stop in the inaugural MoonPay X Games League (XGL) Winter Season, joining Aspen, Colorado, and Ruka, Finland.

The new league introduces a team format. Athletes will compete for individual wins while also earning points for their clubs throughout the season.

Would you go see the X Games in Calgary? 👇

📍 WinSport’s Canada Olympic Park

📅 February 19 to 21, 2027

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Calgary’s free Italian festival has pasta eating, pizza making and barefoot grape stomping this Sunday. 🍝🍇

Comment WEEKEND to get our full list of the best things happening in Calgary this weekend.

Taste of Italy Calgary is taking over Bridgeland with Italian food, live entertainment and some wonderfully chaotic competitions:

🍕 Pizza box-making contest at 12:30 p.m.
🍝 Pasta-eating contest at 2 p.m.
🍕 Pizza-dough-making contest at 3:30 p.m.
🍇 Barefoot grape-stomping contest at 4:30 p.m.
👗 Italian-inspired fashion show at 5:30 p.m.

Food vendors include Lina’s Italian Supermarket, Marietta’s Gelato Bar, Bow Tie Pizza, Teso Focaccia, Gustoso Italian Street Food, Italian Super Market and more.

⏰ 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
📍 Bridgeland Riverside Community Association, 917 Centre Ave NE
🎟️ Free admission; food and drinks extra

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Calgary’s music scene has always felt like one of the city’s best-kept secrets. 🎶

This city already has an established community of local artists, independent venues and live music every night of the week.

The Calgary Folk Music Festival has been bringing artists and audiences together for decades. Major international performers regularly stop here, and the National Music Centre at Studio Bell celebrates Canada’s music history right in the heart of Calgary.

So when Premier Danielle Smith says Calgary could become the “Nashville of the North,” we can see where the idea comes from.

Smith recently met with Nashville’s business and tourism leaders to learn how the city turned its music culture into a major year-round industry and what partnerships, infrastructure and resources helped make it happen.

Calgary already has so many of the right pieces. Now imagine that music scene with a bigger spotlight, more investment and even more reasons to head out for live music any night of the week.

Calgary doesn’t need a music scene created for it. It needs the one it already has to be given a bigger stage. 🎤

Could Calgary become one of North America’s major music destinations? 👇

Cat people, you may want to clear your calendar for this one. 🐈

The fifth annual Calgary Cat Festival & Market returns to Contemporary Calgary on September 12 and 13, bringing together local vendors, animal rescues and plenty of cat-themed activities.

Visitors can meet adoptable cats at Adoption Alley, browse products from independent businesses, attend talks and demonstrations, join a cat-themed painting workshop and compete in Ravensburger puzzle tournaments.

The festival also helps raise awareness and support for local animal rescues and the work they do across Calgary.

📅 Saturday, September 12, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
📅 Sunday, September 13, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
📍 Contemporary Calgary, 701 11 St SW
🎟️ Tickets required
Calgary Cat Festival and Market

Send this to the biggest cat person you know. 🐾

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