11 Spring Festivals to Check Out in Calgary

Spring officially began on March 20th this year, and its arrival means that Calgarians will soon have some exciting festivals to check out again. Here’s are a few of the biggest festivals happening this spring in the city.

YYC Food & Drink Experience

When: March 13 to 29, 2026

This celebration of Calgary’s incredible dining scene invites you to visit participating restaurants for special prix-fixe, multi-course menus. There are also special events throughout the food festival.

yycexp.com

Festival of Animated Objects

When: March 14 to 22, 2026

This festival celebrates all forms of performance that breathe life into the inanimate. From smaller traditional puppets to large-scale, fantastical creatures, this festival brings the best of puppetry and mask performers to Alberta. Check out performances, workshops and movie screenings at various locations around the city.

puppetfestival.ca

Grape Escape Wine Festival

When: March 20 and 21, 2026

Sip your way through Calgary’s largest premium wine, spirits and beer tasting festival with Calgary Co-op. Buy an all-inclusive ticket starting at $75 a day to enjoy over 125 vendors serving distilled beverages, chilled wines and fresh brews.

coopwinespiritsbeer.com

Artifact Small Format Film Festival

When: April 2 to 4, 2026

Entering its 31st year, this festival is all about celebrating celluloid film, where the films shown are all shot on Super 8 and 16mm. Spend opening night enjoying a curated selection of short and mid-length films projected on 16mm and 35mm. On the closing night, the festival highlights both global submissions and the works of local filmmakers who have taken on the challenge of crafting a film with only one roll of Super 8 film — a nod to the festival’s former name, the $100 Film Festival.

artifactfilmfestival.com

Calgary Underground Film Festival

When: April 16 to 26, 2026

Every year, Calgary Underground Film Festival casts a spotlight on some of the best independent documentaries and films around for one of the city’s biggest film celebrations. This year’s film lineup will be announced on March 26th.

calgaryundergroundfilm.org

Calgary Expo

When: April 23 to 26, 2026

The Calgary Expo brings all fandoms together to celebrate sci-fi, horror, video games, comics, anime and more under one roof. During this four-day expo, meet and have your photo taken with guests and celebrities, pick up some cool art in the Artist Alley or dress up and show off your best cosplay.

fanexpohq.com/calgaryexpo

FascinAsian Film Festival

When: April 30 to May 3, 2026

Expect a beautiful celebration of film and culture at the FascinAsian Film Festival. This year’s lineup hasn’t been released yet, but attendees can expect a variety of films that celebrate Asian culture and perspectives. FascinAsian takes place in Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg, and it’s on a mission to not only showcase the talents of Asian-Canadian and Asian-American artists in film, but also to create equal opportunities in the industry to tell these important stories.

fascinasian.ca

Calgary International Beerfest

When: May 1 and 2, 2026

This yearly event gathers some of the best craft breweries under one roof. Try samples from some of the countless participating breweries to find your new favourite hoppy beverage. There will also be food vendors.

albertabeerfestivals.com

Fairy Tales Queer Art & Film Festival

When: May 13 to 17, 2026

Presented by the Calgary Queer Arts Society, the Fairy Tales Queer Art & Film Festival is back with another celebration of queer cinema. The five-day festival exclusively screens 2SLGBTQIA+ feature and short-length films, with queer filmmakers, cast and crew leading the way. This year, enjoy a new festival series where Fairy Tales pulls queer films from the vault, screening cult classics like Bend It Like Beckham.

queerfilmfest.ca

Calgary Black Film Festival

When: May 22 to 26, 2026

The Calgary Black Film Festival returns for its sixth edition this May. The festival promotes Black stories and experiences, and creates an inclusive space for discussions on major cultural, social and socio-economic issues. This year’s lineup hasn’t been released yet, but in the past, the festival has highlighted documentaries, narrative films and films about being Black in Canada.

calgaryblackfilm.com

Lilac Festival

When: June 7, 2026

The popular Lilac Festival is back for another year to celebrate the arrival of warm weather in Calgary. With 4th Street S.W. in Mission (between 12 Avenue S.W. and Elbow Drive S.W.) open only to foot traffic, festival-goers can expect activities for all ages. Multiple stages will host performances throughout the day while hundreds of vendors serve up food and sell local handmade goods.

lilacfestival.net

The post 11 Spring Festivals to Check Out in Calgary appeared first on Avenue Calgary.