Welcome to our monthly round-up of events in, around, and connected to our community in Calgary’s NW. Each month as University District continues to come together, we ask our team what they’re looking forward to in the month ahead. Here is what we’re excited about in Calgary for the month of February.
Follow along using the hashtag #UDistrictYYC as you explore our city this month.
CANMORE WINTER CARNIVAL
Various locations in Canmore (60 minutes drive from University District)
February 1-March 13, 2016
Look at your calendar, pick a free weekend before March 13, and plan to be in Canmore. In about an hour, you’ll be taking in a winter festival sure to make you fall in love with winter all over again. You can watch a World Cup Biathlon, enjoy art and cooking classes, or enter the popular Snowy Owl Kid N Mutt races! MORE.
CIFF & TIFF PRESENT BEST CANADIAN FILMS OF 2015
Globe Theatre (15 minutes drive from University District)
February 4-7, 2016
The film buffs have spoken. Calgary International Film Festival has partnered with the Toronto International Film Festival to assemble and present the ten best Canadian films from last year and will air them over four days at the Globe Theatre. Check out the great work our country is producing with extra buttery Globe Theatre popcorn for maximum effect. MORE.
THEATRE CALGARY’S NIGHT WITH THE STARS
Marriot Hotel (15 minute drive from University District)
February 28, 2016
$250 per person
To really step up your film game, take in a glamourous night with Theatre Calgary to watch the Academy Awards in style. This is a major fundraiser for the theatre complete with a red carpet a new spacey theme. Think Luke Skywalker and Dame Helen Mirren go to a ball. Bring out your ballots and see if your picks win big in Hollywood. MORE.
U OF C ANNUAL DARWIN LECTURE
University of Calgary Alberta Room (4-minute walk from University District)
February 5, 2016
FREE
The University of Calgary holds an annual lecture each year for Darwin Day. This year, Dr. Erica Bree Rosenblum from University of California, Berkley will discuss evolutionary biology and how it affects specification and extinction in our changing world. This free lecture will open your mind! Dr. Rosenblum is a rising star in the evolutionary biology world. Ever wonder why species are being lost at such an alarming rate on our planet? This talk will take guests from the White Sands desert in New Mexico to the South America’s rainforests. MORE.
ADULTS ONLY NIGHT @ TELUS SPARK!
Telus Spark! (15 minutes drive from University District)
February 28, 2016
$26.45
Because science is sexy, bring your date to Telus Spark! for its monthly ‘Adult Night’ – Valentine’s Day edition. These evenings are really just for the adults – no kids running around – and there are bars throughout to prove it. Bonus: the Body Worlds: Vital exhibit is on right now; truly a must see. Enjoyed themed one-night-only programming to ‘explore love from both a physical and psychological perspective’. Sounds romantic! MORE.
Market collective
Chinese Cultural Centre (15 minutes drive from University District)
February 12-14, 2016
$5 weekend admission
Market Collective keeps outgrowing its treehouse! The grassroots market for local artisans, artists, chefs, and small businesses is a Calgary treasure. At the Chinese Cultural Centre, they’ve found an expansive home with loads of room for its fans to explore. Expect to see a wide variety of crafts and goods and bring cash for hand-crafted treats and cocktails. This edition of the pop-up phenomenon will have a romantic twist with a Valentine’s Day photo booth and easy shopping for last minute Valentine’s. MORE.
CAlgary Zoo: in the heat of the night
Calgary Zoo (18 minutes drive from University District)
February 14, 2016
$100 per person, table for two
For one romantic night each year, the Calgary Zoo welcomes curious couples into its conservatory for a lovely meal and eyebrow-raising talk on animal kingdom courtship. Guests will get a cool experience and an educational presentation sure to make them blush, and help raise funds for the Zoo’s conservation efforts. MORE.
HEritage Park & Big Rock Brew CLasses
Heritage Park (17 minutes drive from University District)
February 4, 2016
$95 per person
To drink beer is human, to brew is divine. The master brewmakers from Big Rock Brewery are hosting a hands-on brew class at Heritage Park where you’ll be able to experience the full process from the mill to the pour. Best part: you’ll be able to pick up your very own bottle of craft beer in eight weeks when it’s all finished. The two and a half hour event includes snacks and, naturally, plenty of beer tastings throughout. What will you name your personal brew? MORE.
National Geographic Live
Arts Commons, Jack Singer Concert Hall (15 minutes drive from University District)
February 21 & 22, 2016
$39-$69
Spinosaurus: Lost Giant of the Cretaceous
John Hammond, watch your back! Dr. Ibrahim is in town!
The Spinosaurus is the biggest dinosaur we’ve found yet – even larger than the T.rex. At this special event, Dr. Nizar Ibrahim will tell us the story of the Spino – what made this dinosaur special and what is it teaching us? The presentation will include an appearance by this remarkable young paleontologist and incredible video that recreates the dinosaur’s environment in Cretaceous Era Sahara. MORE.
Calgary home & Garden Show
BMO Centre & Corral, Stampede Park (16 minutes drive from University District)
February 25-28, 2016
$7-$13
Start making your list now, because when you head into the Home & Garden show you’re going to encounter over 650 exhibitors ready to help with every stage of your home and landscape reno and more. You can also benefit from industry-leading speakers and professional workshops. The event is four days, so you come prepared and give yourself lots of time! MORE.
Our city has so much to discover. If you have a recommendation, please connect with us! We’re on Facebook, Twitter, and available via the contact page.
The University District blog is a resource for Calgarians who want to live, work, play, visit or buy in the northwest. We will provide you with information, stories, news and a closer look at the things that matter so you can live a more inspired, active and connected life in NW Calgary at University District… Life works here.
Join the Discussion