Things to Do in Calgary

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.

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.

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.

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.

Behind 60 feet of storefront windows, visitors to ChromaColour Creative Art Centre's laid-back studio transform the blank surfaces of glass, ceramic, canvas, and even T-shirts into unique pieces of art. Two spacious workshops—one that holds 50 people and one with capacity for 100—invite budding artistes to learn a new mode of expression or hone an old one. In pottery classes, students forge ornamental or utilitarian pieces, decorating with eco-friendly paint that staffers mix themselves in-house. Though formal classes are offered, artists can often waltz in during studio hours, take a seat, and chat with family, friends, or the piece of artwork they're working on.

Olympic Billiards & Bar enchants sport enthusiasts with a plentitude of game tables, arcade attractions, and broadcasts of athletic contests. Brandishing chalked cues or disguised protractors, participants take aim at 8-balls on a trio of 3.5'x7' pool tables and a half-dozen 4'x8' billiards tables. A video arcade houses gamer favourites such as air hockey, ande a full bar dispenses 20 bottled beers as big-screen televisions and projectors air the latest football and hockey bouts. On Saturday nights, DJs pepper the dance floor with dubstep beats before harpsichord players take the stage to interpret Top 40 hits from the 1600s.