Kensington
Portrait of Calgary
Our cityscape is rich in
eclectic neighbourhoods, historic
treasures and exciting new
possibilities around every corner
by michaela ritchie
illustrations by sofia elidrissi
It should come as no surprise that this
neighbourhood is much beloved by the artistic
community when the oldest building in the
area is an art-house movie theatre. Built in
the 1920s, the Plaza Theatre sits in the midst of
Kensington’s primary junction, right next door
to what was once the Calgary Public Library’s
first branch—now Pages bookstore. Between
these two pop culture hubs, hundreds of
creative events are hosted in Kensington
each year, from readings of prose and poetry
by local authors, to screenings of cult classic
films. Independent cafés like Higher Ground
and The Roasterie thrive alongside a requisite
Starbucks. Attending the neighbourhood’s
posh Christmas market is a holiday tradition
for many Calgarians—as is dressing in full
wizard regalia when Kensington transforms
itself each summer into Diagon Alley from
the Harry Potter series. This pedestrian-
friendly area is also home to amazing
local eateries, many of which
got their grassroots start right
where they stand—Crave
Cupcakes, Pulcinella and
The Daily to name a few.
Whether you’re looking to
write your next bestseller,
do paint night with your
crew, procure some eclectic
oddities, or bask in all
that is bohéme, this
eccentric neighbourhood
will welcome you with
open arms.
Downtown
Downtown Calgary lives at the crosswalk of heritage and high end, a picture of what happens when cowboys strike black gold. Like our city at
large, this area wears many hats—ten gallon or otherwise. Oil and energy giants dominate the skyline with their spires, while at street level,
Olympic Plaza reminds us of our place on the world stage as a hero of alpine sports. A boundless wealth of knowledge is available for visitors to
peruse, shrouded within the concrete monolith of Glenbow. Savour a 360-degree panoramic view from atop the Calgary Tower, or the best of
Alberta beef at one of our city’s finest steakhouses. Visit Arts Commons, which hosts huge, globally touring performances beneath the same roof
as independent local theatre and an internationally acclaimed orchestra. Stroll down Stephen Avenue to glimpse Calgary’s trademark sandstone
architecture of old; the pedestrian passageway is a mainstay of upscale shopping and dining, featuring one of the Hudson’s Bay Company’s “origi-
nal six” department stores across from The Core, one of the busiest shopping centres in Calgary. If you’re staying at one of the many hotels in this
area and your time here is short, never fear—you’ll be able to say you experienced a true taste of Calgary life after exploring the vibrant, ever-
changing downtown scene.
THE ESSENTIAL CALGARY 2018
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