Roughnecks, Cavalry, Lantern Fest and Marathon: What's on in Calgary this weekend
Need some inspiration to get you out of the house this weekend? Homestretch director Tracy Fuller joined Rob Brown Thursday to talk about what's going on in Calgary this weekend.
Tsuu'tina Community Rodeo Club
Getting antsy for Stampede? It's still six weeks away, but starting Friday, the Tsuu'tina Community Rodeo Club will be honouring the legacy of rodeo all weekend long. Friday is the youth rodeo series, which kicks off at 5 p.m., with steer riding and pro-am roping. Then on Saturday and Sunday, starting at 1 p.m., the IRCA Rodeo gets underway. There will be performances, food, history and more. It all happens at Harry Dodginghorse Memorial Agriplex, and it's only $5 to get in.
Calgary Multicultural Choir
The Calgary Multicultural Choir celebrates its 40th anniversary Saturday, May 25. With 57 members representing 25 countries, they will be singing in nine different languages, including Finnish folk songs like Vem Kan Segle's Who Can Sail? That's just one example of a 14 song program, which includes crowd favourites like Danny Boy. The concert will also feature a world-premiere commissioned piece by Canadian composer Larry Nickel, called We Welcome You, So Long Farewell, to celebrate the choir's 40th anniversary. And there will be cake. It's at River Park Church, Saturday at 7 p.m.
Angel's Cafe
Meanwhile, Edworthy Park in Parkdale has a new live music venue, in an old favourite haunt. That's because starting Friday, Angel's Cafe will host live music from 7 to 9 p.m., and as it gets warmer this summer, they plan on having live music Fridays and Saturdays, weather permitting. It's a beautiful time of year to get out for a walk along the Bow River, or the Glenmore Reservoir.
Water Lantern Festival
Meanwhile, if you aim your attention more toward the city centre, on Sunday, a phenomenon that started in the States comes to Calgary. That's the highly Instagrammable Water Lantern Festival, which comes Saturday to Olympic Plaza. It's a ticketed event that gets you a build-your-own wooden lantern kit. It comes with all the pieces you need, including a translucent lantern shade that you and your family can decorate with messages of hope, love, dreams, goals and remembrances. The festival starts at 5:30 p.m. and runs until 8:30, and there will be food trucks, bands, entertainment and more. Then at 9 p.m., the festival moves to the water, where everyone will release their lanterns as the sun sets.
Roughnecks
About six weeks ago, every Calgary sports fan hoped there would be meaningful games being played late into spring, and what do you know? Saturday night, the place to be in the city will be the Saddledome. Local lacrosse heroes, the Roughnecks, play the Buffalo Bandits in game two of their best of three series. Thanks to a 10-7 victory in the opener, a win clinches the cup for Calgary, which would be the third time in their history that they've won the NLL Cup. Tickets are available on Ticketmaster, and there's a flash sale on right now, at $33 a pop.
Cavalry
If lacrosse doesn't float your lantern, you may opt to check out the Cavalry FC, the city's new soccer team, who take on the Halifax Wanderers Saturday at 4:30 p.m., at Spruce Meadows. The Cavalry are off — to paraphrase the late, great hockey announcer Danny Gallivan — a scintillating start. They've won their first four games since league play kicked off three weeks ago. How long can this winning thing go on?
Marathon
On the other hand, if you're looking for less of a team sport, and more of a solo pursuit, surrounded by 9,000 others, the Calgary Marathon happens this weekend. Even if it is a solo pursuit, a road race is also one of the great group activities, right up there with choirs and Raptors games and graduating from college.
East Town Get Down
The Homestretch spoke to Anvil frontman Steve "Lips" Kudlow Wednesday, but it's important to be aware that the East Town Get Down, which Anvil are performing at this weekend, is not a heavy metal festival. The full lineup includes dozens of different genres and indie acts, big and small, including Calgary favourites like Chad VanGaalen, Rae Spoon, Windigo, Napalmpom, Dragon Fli Empire and more, who will take over International Avenue Saturday.
With files from The Homestretch
