The 7 Best Food Festivals in Calgary Where You Can Bite Into Flavors from All over the World
Growing up, my family would host a barbecue almost every month. We’d invite our friends and neighbors over to have a good time and enjoy some delicious food.
But as the years passed, these barbecues became rarer and rarer until they completely stopped. I used to be sad about how much I missed them — until I started going to food festivals.
During the first one I ever went to, I quickly realized that they were just like our old barbecue parties, except with a bigger food selection.
At this point, I’ve been to so many that I’ve lost count. But I do have a couple of favorites. Below, you’ll find the best food festivals in Calgary that I’d go back to over and over again.
1. Taste of Calgary Festival
Media credit: tasteofcalgary
Website
Address: 3613 Blackburn Rd SE
Contact details: +1 403 453 7424
When: 4th week of July to 1st week of August
Admission Fee: Free
With over 350 menu items, you’ll never run out of things to try at the Taste of Calgary Festival. Every year brings in a fresh and unique lineup of restaurants, live performers, and eager foodies.
The festival has a healthy mix of small restaurants, food trucks, and stalls from big chain companies. Combining the different dishes from a variety of cuisines to make one big course meal is definitely a highlight.
Of course, everyone else is looking forward to doing the same, so I suggest getting your tickets online ahead of time. Even though admission is free, each dish usually costs 2 to 7 tickets, so plan accordingly.
Pro tip:
Don’t forget to join the annual Taste of Calgary Contest by subscribing to their newsletter. The winner gets a VIP package that includes 250 taste tickets, aka a lot of food!
2. Mexifest
Media credit: mexifest
Website
Address: 6439 2nd Street SE
Email: [email protected]
Contact details: +1 403 880 1562
When: 1st week of July
Admission Fee: $20
Mexifest is Calgary’s gateway to everything Mexican — the food, art, music, and culture. It’s an amazing way to experience both the modern and traditional practices of the city’s Mexican community.
Naturally, they’ll have the best versions of everyone’s comfort foods. Nachos, tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and tamales — name it and you’ll find it here.
And while you’re eating, prepare to be serenaded by lively music, either from mariachi bands or local DJs. I usually can’t help but join in and dance, especially because it makes me hungrier for my next meal.
Occasionally, though, you might hear loud cheering and screaming instead of joyful tunes. No need to be alarmed, this usually means that the wrestling has started. Try not to miss this since it involves real luchadores from Mexico.
After a whole day of enjoying everything this festival has to offer, you’ll likely leave tired but with so much more appreciation and love for the culture.
Pro tip:
Keep an eye out for Mexifest’s online announcements. There’s always one day in the festival where admission is free for everyone, and they usually post the date.
3. Fiestaval
Media credit: fiestavalyyc
Website
Address: 6439, 2 Street SE
Email: [email protected]
Contact details: +1 403 880 1562
When: 3rd week of July
Admission Fee: Free
For 3 days a year, Calgary gets to experience what a real fiesta is like through Fiestaval. Everyone gets together to celebrate the beautiful music, dancing, culture, and food from more than 20 Latin countries.
During the day, it’ll look like there’s been an explosion of color everywhere. There will be performers wearing vibrant outfits moving in sync onstage, following the beat of the lively music blasting through the speakers.
Feel free to eat as much as you can in between performances. They usually have around 30 food vendors, all selling Latin American dishes. Expect to see some tamales, arepas, paella, and (my personal favorite) sangria.
Unlike other festivals, the party doesn’t stop once the sun goes down. In fact, this is when everyone in attendance starts partying harder. Local DJs will provide the soundtrack that’ll help you dance the night away.
Pro tip:
Fiestaval is usually held on some of the hottest days of the year. Make sure you stay hydrated throughout the event.
4. YYC Ice Cream Fest
Media credit: yyc.icecreamfest
Website
Email: [email protected]
Contact details: +1 403 243 2834 ext. 1004
When: 3rd week of July to 3rd week of August
Admission Fee: Free
I’ve yet to meet anyone who doesn’t like ice cream, so YYC Ice Cream Fest is the one festival I’m sure no one would be able to resist. Even though it’s only a few years old, this fair already attracts a great number of people, both young and old.
What makes the event unique is that it doesn’t just happen in one location. Instead, the organizers release a list of participating restaurants, cafes, and parlors that you’ll have to visit.
Once there, you can sample their chilled treats and vote on which eatery has the best entry. By the way, we say ‘treats’, because although ice cream is always a component, some participants go all out and incorporate donuts, macarons, and puffs.
With this in mind, we highly suggest bringing a buddy along for this journey. A lot of the cafes have huge portions, so some of these desserts end up being as filling as a full meal.
Pro tip:
You can find a map of all participating locations on the official YYC Ice Cream Fest website.
5. GlobalFest
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Website
Address: Elliston Park, 1827 68 St SE
Email: [email protected]
Contact details: +1 403 569 9679
When: 2nd week of August to 4th week of August
Admission Fee:
- Kids (under the age of 5) – Free
- Regular Tickets – $25
GlobalFest is how plenty of Calgarians save up on plane tickets. Through this festival, locals celebrate the city’s diversity and experience the food and culture of different countries.
In the past, there have been over 20 cultural pavilions representing nations such as Africa, Japan, and Brazil. But with each passing year, there seems to be more and more pavilions popping up.
As you step inside the tents, you’ll have a chance to be immersed in and understand more about the history of these places.
If you’re like me and learning makes you hungry, you’ll be making a beeline for the food trucks and stalls afterwards. They always have a great variety of dishes, which always includes churros, kettle corn, burritos, shawarma, pizza, lechon, and wontons.
And at the end of the day is when the fireworks show lights up the sky. Every night of the festival is unique, highlighting a different country’s colors and music.
Pro tip:
If you plan on staying until the fireworks show, it’s highly recommended to bring warm clothes and bug spray. Elliston Park always gets chilly at night, even if it’s hot during the day.
6. Halal Ribfest
Media credit: halalribfest
Website
Address: Deerfoot City, 901 64 Ave NE
Email: [email protected]
When: 4th week of August
Admission Fee:
- Youth (ages 13-17) / Seniors (ages 65+) – $4.75
- Adult – $6
- Adult 3-Day Ticket – $6.75
- Youth/Seniors 3-Day Ticket – $6.75
As one of Canada’s biggest cities, there are more than 100 halal restaurants scattered all over Calgary. But every year, some of the best spots from this lineup gather in one place for Halal Ribfest.
From my experience, this is one of the most inclusive food events in the area. People from different cultures and faiths all come together to enjoy great meat, whether that’s in the form of street food or southern barbecue.
You can imagine how appetizing the entire festival smells. I can guarantee that your mouth is going to water, especially when the rib cook-off competitions start.
Just keep in mind that it’s better to go to the festival early. Even though it’s usually open until late, some vendors run out of the best cuts later in the day.
Pro tip:
You can bring your kids along to Halal Ribfest. Apart from the food trucks, there are also stalls where they can play carnival games, a bazaar, and even a bouncy castle.
7. Brewery and the Beast Festival
Media credit: rebekah.ho
Website
Address: The confluence Historic Site & Parkland, 750 9 Ave SE
Email: [email protected]
When: Last week of August
Admission Fee:
- General Admission – $149.95
- VIP Experience – $249.95
If you’re looking for something premium, the Brewery and the Beast festival is one of the most deluxe food events in Calgary. Here, you’ll be able to taste cooking from more than 60 of the city’s award-winning eateries.
Each one will present a dish that showcases what makes them unique, while using the best local ingredients. The challenge is to create something that encapsulates what a dining experience at their restaurant is like.
As someone who regularly dines at most of these places, I never want to miss this event. Most of the stuff they serve here isn’t part of their usual menu.
It’ll be completely up to you to decide what drink to pair with these. You can choose from a selection of wines, cocktails, hard teas, craft beers, and non-alcoholic beverages. The last one is unlimited for everyone, so you’ll never be thirsty.
Pro tip:
If you don’t want to buy VIP tickets for access to a private seating lounge, you can just bring a chair to sit in throughout the day. All you have to do is let security inspect it before you enter the event.