What to do in Calgary in winter? Bundle up and get ready to have some fun with our list of best things to do in Calgary in winter, including winter sports, events, and sprinkles of indoor fun for the coldest days.

With dropping temperatures usually starting in November (and ending in March), there’s a common feeling to cozy up on the couch at home. And while that’s sometimes a good idea, outdoor winter activities with the fresh air and soft touch of sun rays on the cheeks are much better.

If you agree, you’re in the right place.

Calgary has been named the sunniest city in Canada, with an average of 333 sunny days per year. Holy smokes, that’s a lot!

Pair this information with the good old saying – there’s no bad weather, just bad clothing – and you’ll be excited to get outside.

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Get ready to have some fun with our list of fun things to do in Calgary in winter (+winter day trips from Calgary featuring at the end)!

33 things to do in Calgary in winter

1. Go ice skating

I’m starting with our favourite winter activity. You can ice skate in Calgary from November to March, depending on cold temperatures.

While many communities have their ice skating rinks, you can also visit one of the nine bigger rinks. Our usual pick is Prince’s Island Park or Bowness Park. Ice skating is one of the best winter activities in Calgary because of the abundance of ice rinks.

TIP: The first skating rink that usually opens is Olympic Plaza in downtown Calgary (up and running as of November 22, 2021).

Read full blog post: Outdoor ice skating in Calgary: A breakdown of all options

2. Cross country ski

Cross country skiing is a fantastic activity and very easy to learn. Rent a pair of skis and head to the new Nordic Loop in East Village (pictured below) to cross country ski right in Calgary’s downtown! As of December 27, 2021, the Nordic Loop is open and groomed.

Some golf courses and parks around Calgary have regularly maintained tracks. We like Fish Creek Provincial Park right after a big snowfall so we can make fresh new tracks.

Read full blog post: 10 Best trails for cross country skiing in Calgary & beyond

3. Visit the Festival of lights

Sparkly colourful Christmas lights can be seen all over Calgary during the holiday season. A couple of displays stand out: Lions Festival of Lights and Zoolights.

Lions Festival of Lights (Nov 27, 2021 – Jan 9, 2022) is a free yearly event in Confederation Park, which you can see along 14 St & 24 Ave NW. 500,000 lights and teepees are on display daily from 6 pm to midnight.

Zoolights in Calgary’s Zoo (Nov 19, 2021 – Jan 2, 2022) feature more than 2 million lights, 200 displays, fire pits and holiday drinks to keep the whole family warm.

Visiting Christmas lights is one of the things to do in Calgary during winter, especially if you have kids.

4. Discover Calgary murals

If you feel like going for a walk around the city, make sure to bring your camera along. Calgary’s Beltline area hosts a yearly Bump Festival where artists from all over Canada paint building’s walls. Just from this event, there are more than 50 murals.

The newest beautiful mural I’ve found is in Bridgeland (pictured below).

Read full blog post: Discover 26 amazing wall murals in Calgary with our map

5. Sled down the hill

Believe it or not, sledding on any hill you see is illegal and can get you a fine. Here’s a list of designated and maintained sledding hills in Calgary. A very nice one is in Confederation Park, right next to the skating rink.

6. Tube at Canada Olympic Park

Tubing down the Bow River is a popular summer activity in Calgary, while tubing down the hill at WinSport Tube Park is for winter. It’s almost like sledding, but faster and more fun, for adults especially.

7. See king penguins

Every year, the Calgary Zoo staff takes king penguins on walks through the zoo. The Penguin walk is a very sought-after experience. The Zoo said that the daily walks encourage exercise for penguins and offer them a change of scenery. We all had a blast at Penguin walk and will go again.

Read full blog post: Penguin walk at Calgary Zoo

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8. Try fat biking

While bike paths are usually plowed and cleared of snow in winter, there are many trails in Calgary’s parks where you can find deep snow, ideal for fat biking. We’ve tried fat biking in Canmore Nordic Centre and enjoyed it a lot since we’re mountain bikers.

You can rent a fat bike, a standard mountain bike with wide (fat) tires. The downhills are slower than on a mountain bike but falling in the snow is much better than dirt.

9. Enjoy adventure & outdoor movies

What’s better for cold and dark nights than watching a movie? Banff hosts a yearly Banff Mountain Film Festival in November and you can see the best movies when the World Tour starts. You can watch new adventure and outdoor movies in January 19-23, 2022 in Calgary, click here for the program.

Our favourites: 30 Best outdoor movies and adventure documentaries

10. Have fun at a winter festival

Bowness Winterfest is a yearly family-friendly event in carnival style with zorb bowling, carnival games, crafts, and many more games. Check out their February even calendar for more info.

Glow Downtown Winter Light Festival, or Glow Fest, is an annual festival with music, dance shows, fire pits, and interactive light installations. Stephen Avenue in downtown Calgary lights up every 2nd and 3rd weekend in February. Join the fun and bring your whole family. Children were particularly mesmerized by all the lights.

Read full blog post: Glow Festival in Calgary

11. Join YYC Hot Chocolate Fest

I’m sure I’m not the only one who loves hot chocolate, especially in winter. Well, good news! February is chocolate time. Visit participating Hot Chocolate Fest cafes and restaurants for a drink during the full month of February. This is my favourite winter event in Calgary.

I’ll start at last year’s winners – Best Hot Chocolate was awarded to Flower & Wolf, and Best Spirited Hot Chocolate to Cravings Market Restaurant.

One of my personal favourites in 2021 was Hot Chocolate Nutella with mini Bomboloni at Amato Gelato Café.

Read full blog post: Honest review of 9 drinks at Hot Chocolate Festival

12. Enjoy a theatre performance

From November 30 to December 24, 2021, you can enjoy a theatre performance of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens or watch it at home. Check their schedule for more shows.

We went to see the ballet The Nutcracker a few years ago which I highly recommend, here’s a preview.

13. Visit Calgary Tower

Enjoy a bird’s eye view of Calgary from the 190 meters high tower, the observation deck is open in winter 2021/2022. Take a look at their lighting schedule to know what the colourful tower lights represent each time you see them change.

14. Help fellow Calgarians

During Christmas, we buy presents for our loved ones and enjoy days or weeks filled with food. But what about fellow Calgarians who can’t afford this luxury?

You can donate food to the fridge at 902 Centre Street, Crescent Heights, send monetary donations to the Calgary community fridge or take any food with no questions asked if you’re in need.

15. Make a snow angel

Remember how it was when you were a kid? You had fun all day, every day. Recreate the memory and make a snow angel next time you see untouched snow.

16. Watch Northern Lights

Have you seen the dancing beauty called Aurora or Northern Lights before? It’s the most magical nature’s wonder, and one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.

Calgary Aurora Chasers is a great place to start, where members share current conditions and aurora pictures.

17. Pick up a new sport

Fat biking, backcountry skiing, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, ice climbing, and more are available at the Outdoor Centre (University of Calgary). Check out their courses to learn something new this winter.

18. Climb a frozen waterfall

Climbing a frozen wall is one of the coolest activities we’ve tried in Canada. You can take a beginner or advanced course and climb waterfalls in Johnston Canyon, Lake Louise, and many more in the Rockies.

19. Join a running race

When we moved to Calgary, a running race with Calgary Road Runners Club was the first event we’ve attended, and we got to know some locals.

They run a racing series during winter where every race is in a different park around the city following by hot food in the community center.

It’s been our favourite winter event for years, and I highly recommend it.

20. Play or watch ice hockey

Community ice skating rinks around Calgary often have shinny hockey. It’s a random group of people who play a game together. We enjoyed several shinny games with our Couchsurfing friends.

If you’d like to see a hockey game, it’s fun to attend just for the crazy atmosphere.

21. Watch the sunset over Calgary’s skyline

Both sunset and sunrise are unbelievably colourful and pretty to look at. I recommend North Glenmore Park (the picture below is from the Weaselhead area), Nose Hill Park, or McHugh Bluff Park.

22. Learn to paint with a professional

The concept of painting while drinking with a friend is amazing. The Paint Nite event is usually hosted in different pubs around Calgary.

You buy a ticket which gets you all the painting supplies and a teacher. And you make a painting while ordering and drinking whatever you want from the bar.

23. Walk along the Bow River

Calgary’s RiverWalk always surprises us with new cool things. As an example, we’ve found new murals and a new cross-country trail in the East Village while on a walk. Then you can head to the café in the Simmons Building for a snack or hot chocolate.

24. Read at the new Calgary Central Library

The new Central Library is considered to be an architectural gem. And not only it’s a beautiful big building, but it’s also hosting a lot of events and even small concerts. It’s also a great and quiet place to read with a café on site.

Our little Martin enjoys the Early Learning Centre with reading nooks, drawing tables, and the climbing structure.

25. Hike in Bowmont Park

In winter, you can hike in Nose Hill Park or Edworthy Park, but I recommend Bowmont Park. Just look at the lovely river view in the below picture. If it’s a bluebird day, you can see the Rockies.

26. Sip a coffee by a fireplace

When you get tired of sitting on the couch at home, consider going to the award-winning Higher Ground Café in Kensington. It’s a nice place with a chilled atmosphere, fireplace, and delicious hot drinks.

27. Visit the science centre

The Spark Science Center offers many educational programs, including planetarium shows, dome movies, special adults-only events, and a new digital immersion gallery.

28. Shop at local Christmas markets

For unique Christmas gifts and supporting local artists, visit a Christmas market. There are many of them to choose from running November-December 2021. Here’s a comprehensive list of available markets in and around Calgary.

29. Volunteer

Lend a helping hand in your free time and volunteer in one of many of Calgary’s organizations. Here’s a list of volunteering organizations that can use your help.

30. Build a snowman

When you’re done making a snow angel, why not take it a step further to recreate childhood memories and build a snowman? I’ve heard snowmen in Canada don’t hold a broom but a hockey stick. Is it true?

31. Play curling

Whether or not curling belongs to the Olympics is for another debate but you can try playing this Canadian game indoors at Calgary Curling Club or outdoors in Bowness Park.

32. Try ice biking

Have you heard of ice biking before? It’s a new winter activity which you can now try in Bowness Park. You’ll ride a bike on a platform constructed for a new form of ice skating.

Read next: Skating at Bowness Park: everything you need to know

33. Boost your immunity

This activity supplements making a snow angel and building a snowman. For building up your immunity, try walking or running in the fresh snow. How long will you last? I lasted about a minute last winter.

Winter day trips from Calgary

• 15 Best winter activities in Canmore with insider tips
• 8 Awesome Winter Hikes in Canmore
• Grotto Canyon Ice Walk Near Canmore
• Dinosaur Museum in Drumheller
• Frozen winter wonderland in Johnston Canyon
• Hike up the Sulphur Mountain in Banff National Park
• Ice skating on frozen mountain lakes
• Cross country ski trails in Banff

What winter things to do in Calgary caught your eye? Share with us if we missed something.

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