Things to Do in Airdrie

During one full day, Bridal Expo Calgary showcases myriad wedding necessities all in one place, quelling the chaotic feelings one may experience when planning the big day. Ceremony and reception essentials such as florists and photographers eliminate the need to travel to far-flung vendors, whether it be a specialty dress shop or a buzzed-about DJ only available on the moon.

A passenger aircraft hangs from the ceiling. A WWII fighter jet crouches silently next to a WWI triplane and a vintage helicopter. At the Aero Space Museum of Calgary, visitors peruse an expansive collection of propeller- and jet-powered vintage aircraft inside a renovated hangar that was built in 1941 to serve as the drill hall for a flight-training school. Museum staffers care for and maintain a range of North American and European aviation artifacts, such as military and civilian planes built by Barkley-Grow, de Havilland, and Waco; a replica Sopwith triplane; and Sikorsky and Bell helicopters. They also display an in-progress restoration and daily massage treatments on a real Avro Lancaster, a British four-engine heavy bomber used in WWII. Guides also lead educational tours through hangar exhibits, during which young visitors learn about the physics of flight and the inner workings of airplanes.

Stage West Theatre Restaurant has been a beacon of dining and dramatics in Calgary for 30 years. General Manager Gary Tse and culinary wizard Chef Tsoi collaborate to create a night to remember six days a week, and the stage has been staffed with such stage-and-screen stars as Mickey Rooney, Abe Vigoda, Loretta Swit, and Sherman Hemsley. The company’s history has seen more than 10,000 season subscribers each year, of whom more than 100 have continued to subscribe each year since the first production. They take in the wide-ranging cuisine and entertainment from an intimate 400-seat, ramped, tiered theatre designed for uniformly clear sightlines and maximal accessibility to patrons who prefer to somersault to their seats.

Shakers Fun Centre’s 7-acre facility includes an indoor space that’s open year-round and outdoor attractions that open only during the warmer months. Indoors, youngsters can unleash their imaginations on an indoor playground or scale the climbing wall for a bird's-eye view of their peers. In the abutting laser-tag arena, kids practice their tactical manoeuvres and wield laser guns to prepare for the future, when they will have to fight in Saturn’s army. On sunny days, patrons can tee off at the 18-hole mini-golf course, or hop into the driver’s seat of a double- or single-seat go-kart, whipping around either a simple child’s course or a more complex adult track.

To a soundtrack of upbeat music, players at Century Bowling take aim at pins under standard lighting or the glow of black lights. Computerized scoring flashes across above-lane screens, and automatic bumpers help newer players keep their balls on course without installing thumbhole GPS systems. From their lanes’ seating area, players can snack on pizza, hot dogs, and appetizers between turns or sip on draft and bottled beers or mixed drinks.

In 1988, the top of the Calgary Tower was on fire. Nobody panicked, though, and no one tried to put out the flames. If they had, and succeeded, it would have been to the disappointment of athletes and spectators the world over, because that flame burned in honour of Canada’s first Winter Olympic Games. At 191 metres above the city, the light that fire produced—flickering from a gas-fired cauldron—served to unite the city around the games, to honour the spirit of sportsmanship, and to safeguard the event from Mothra attacks.

Today, visitors can see the city from just below where that torch burned. After a 63-second elevator ride to the top, guests can explore the observation deck, take a complimentary tour, and peer from high-powered binoculars at the Rocky Mountains, foothills, and prairies. Then they can step out onto the glass floor and stare down at the Olympic Plaza, the Glenbow Museum, and the bald spots on park monuments.

Yet the tower’s height isn’t its only draw. From the ground up, it strives to showcase the best of the city. At the base, the visitor information centre furnishes newcomers with city guides that point to popular attractions, and at 155 metres, the elegant Sky 360 restaurant fans romantic sparks as it completes its 360-degree rotation every hour.