ENTERTAINMENT
Festival
Spotlight
KERRY CLARKE
One of the city’s biggest and most
anticipated events, Calgary Folk Music
Festival (page 36), is a four-day, family-
friendly, cultural and musical jamboree that
has been going strong for 38 years. More than 53,000 music lovers
(not to mention a small staff and an army of community volunteers)
take over Prince’s Island Park to revel in genre-bending music and
ground-breaking collaborations.
As the festival’s artistic director, Kerry Clarke is responsible for
scouring the globe to find the most exciting, buzz-worthy musicians
and bring them to Calgary for one weekend in July. She says the best
thing about her job is “being surrounded by awesome colleagues in
the office and around the world who
are on the cutting edge of culture and
creativity.”
Over the course of more than 20 years
working with the Calgary Folk Music
Festival, Clarke has helped to define
what constitutes “folk music”—
something that can be difficult, if not
impossible, to nail down.
“We used to
jokingly say
folk was a four-
letter word
that starts with
an ‘f’ and ends
with a ‘k.’”
“Definitions of musical styles are
always evolving as are people’s
perceptions of what terms mean,” Clarke says. “Folk to me is from
two branches—either based on the traditions of different cultures
and the evolution of (those traditions), or original singer-songwriters.
The following listings include information on
festivals, family entertainment, sports events,
theatre, dance, and music that the editors judge
worthy of your attention, including advertisers in
Where Calgary. The map coordinates at the end
of each listing (E4, E8 etc.) refer to the city maps
on pages 75 to 76. If you have an observation
regarding any of our listings, please email
[email protected].
ADVERTISER
FOR FULL LISTINGS, PLEASE VISIT
where.ca/calgary
ATTRACTIONS
CALAWAY PARK Western Canada’s largest outdoor
family amusement park has 33 rides including a new
Timber Falls log ride, the thrill ride “Chaos,” a roller
coaster, interactive bumper boats, daily live stage
entertainment, food vendors, midway games, a candy
store, shopping, and mini-golf. Calaway RV Park and
Campground is located next to the park. Admission
includes unlimited rides, stage shows, parking, attractions,
and live entertainment. Open daily 10 am - 7 pm.
Admission: $37.95 (7-49), $31 child (3-6), $29 senior
(50+), children 2 and under are free. 245033 Range Rd 33,
403-240-3822. Map 1, F1 www.calawaypark.com
CALGARY TOWER Visit the observation terrace of this
191 m tall landmark for breathtaking views of Calgary
and the Rocky Mountains. A complimentary audio
guide is included with admission and is available in four
languages. The top of the tower features the revolving
But the delivery of those
can be through orchestral
pop, hip-hop, world music,
blues, country—it’s a big
umbrella with creativity and
originality at the core.”
“It
also
signifies
a
programming and event
format with a wide variety
of artists, including icons
and upstarts, with a lot of
opportunity for discovery,”
Clarke says. One of the
ways Calgary Folk Music
Festival fosters discovery
and innovation is through
“workshops,” a unique show
format that brings diverse
artists together on stage to
jam and collaborate live, creating spontaneous, once-in-a-lifetime
performances.
Clarke says she’s excited to see so many of the performances this
year, among them innovative hip-hop group BADBADNOTGOOD,
singer-songwriter Carsie Blanton, English soul musician Michael
Kiwanuka, and Mbongwana Star, a seven-piece Congolese band.
—Rachael Frey
Sky 360 restaurant, which serves upscale contemporary
cuisine. Two blocks south of the CTrain line downtown.
Open daily 9 am - 9 pm. Adult $18, senior (65+) $16, child
(4 - 12) $9, children 3 and under are free. 101 - 9 Ave SW,
403-266-7171. Map 2, F5 www.calgarytower.com
CALGARY ZOO The Calgary Zoo is home to wild and
woolly creatures from every corner of the earth. More than
1,000 creatures from Africa, Eurasia, and the Canadian
wilds welcome visitors. Open daily 9 am - 6 pm (gates
close at 5 pm). Adult $23, senior $21, child $15, children
2 and under are free. Parking is $10 per car, or take the
CTrain to Zoo Station. 1300 Zoo Rd NE, 403-232-9300.
Map 1, H7 www.calgaryzoo.com
CALGARY CHINESE CULTURAL CENTRE This is
the largest stand-alone cultural centre in Canada at
70,000 sq. ft. Its great central dome is patterned after
the Temple of Heaven in Beijing with 561 handcrafted
dragons on the ceiling. Five blocks north of the CTrain
line downtown. 197 - 1 St SW, 403-262-5071. Map 3, D10
www.culturalcentre.ca
FORT CALGARY In 1875, the North West Mounted
Police built Fort Calgary. Today, in its original strategic
position where the Bow and Elbow rivers meet, it brings
history to life through exhibits and interpretation. Open
daily 9 am - 5 pm. Adult $12, $11 senior, $7 youth (7-17),
$5 child (3-6). 750 - 9 Ave SE, 403-290-1875. Map 2, F9
www.fortcalgary.com
TIP
GRANARY ROAD This family attraction just outside
city limits includes a bistro by the renowned Canadian
Rocky Mountain Resorts group, a bakery and coffee
shop, and a public market with vendors selling gourmet
and handcrafted items. The market overlooks the
active learning park: three kilometres of trails wind
through a series of themed exhibits, each one featuring
a chance for kids to get active while learning about
animals, insects, and agriculture. Look for the giant
animatronic spiders, bats, and frogs, get up close and
personal with adorable farm animals like pigs and
goats, and burn some energy on swings, slides, and
ropes. 226034, 112 St W, Foothills No. 31, 403-453-7623.
www.granaryroad.com
HERITAGE PARK HISTORICAL VILLAGE This living
history museum features attractions and exhibits that
span Western Canadian history from the 1860s to the
1950s. Interact with costumed interpreters, ride a steam
train, board a paddlewheeler, try antique rides and games,
explore pioneer homes and businesses, and more. Year-
round attractions include the Gasoline Alley Museum with
a display of historic vintage cars, Selkirk Grille restaurant
which serves upscale Western Ca nadian cuisine, and
Haskayne Mercantile Block which offers five unique retail
stores. Admission: $26.35 general (15-64), $20.50 senior
(65+), $18.75 youth (7-14), $13.50 child (3-6), children
2 and under are free. Parking is $5 per car for up to 7
hours. 1900 Heritage Dr SW, 403-268-8500. Map 1, J5
www.heritagepark.ca
Order a picnic basket from River Café (page 58) located right on Prince's Island Park,
the venue for Calgary Folk Music Festival. The basket is a three-course indulgence.
JULY/AUGUST 2017
where.ca
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