Calgary's Westjet Briefly Grounded While The Himalayan's Are Closer Than You Think

Hello Beautiful People!

Did you enjoy your long weekend?

Here's how our’s went: we grabbed our scooters (helmets on, don't @ us) and just... let Calgary happen to us. First stop was Bowness, where Tour de Bowness had taken over the entire street — food trucks lined up, live music spilling out of every corner, and we may or may not have scooted straight into a fresh-off-the-grill something-on-a-stick situation. Zero regrets.

From there we cruised down toward Eau Claire, chasing the sound of drums and dance performances at the Heritage Day Festival — food stalls that transported us across the world, face painted kids running around with flags, and us just vibing. We wrapped the day parked by the river, snacks in hand, watching the city do what it does best on a long weekend: show up, show off, and make you fall in love with it all over again. 10/10 adventure, would scoot again.

In THE 403: WestJet owes you more than sorry, the Zoo just imported a slice of the Himalayas, a 7-year-old out-fossiled the pros, and Sadie is a pup who’s ready to be your shadow. Plus, a half-mil turned into a full mil overnight for music therapy — because Calgary just doesn't miss.

We’re making the most of the second half of summer. Thanks for coming along.

Let's get to it.

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Grounded by the Strike? WestJet Might Owe You Money Rather Than an Apology

Travellers worried that vacations would turn into staycations as WestJet flight attendants walked off the job early this past Sunday morning. Although a tentative deal was reached shortly after, it will be some time before WestJet is back to full operations. WestJet grounded every single flight and we went out and checked the parked jets out first hand at the airport. Here's the real talk though — because this strike counts as "outside the airline's control," you won't get cash compensation for the headache for any travel, but WestJet still has to get you on the next available flight within 48 hours (theirs or a partner's), or hand you a refund and sort out alternate travel if they can't. Flying internationally? You've actually got more leverage — they may owe you for meals, hotels, or other costs the delay caused. Air Canada's stepping in too, offering seats to stranded WestJet folks.

Bottom line: check your email, know your rights, and don't just accept the first thing you're offered without asking What You’re Actually Owed

Meet the Mystery Animal Making Its Calgary Debut - Yes, We’re Takin You There

Road trip time — well, mountain trip — because the Calgary Zoo just flung open the gates to a brand-new slice of the Himalayas and it's called Asian Highlands! Snow leopards are back and prowling around way bigger digs, red pandas are climbing and swinging through fresh new hangout spots, and Sichuan takin are making their very first Calgary appearance ever (yeah, you've probably never even heard of them — that's the fun part). The whole thing is a mini expedition through different elevations of one of the wildest, most biodiverse mountain regions on the planet, and it's all included in regular admission starting today.

So grab your curiosity and visit the Himilayan’s In Your Own Backyard

7 Year Old Went to the Playground for Bugs, Left With a 400-Million-Year-Old Fossil

Picture this: a normal day at the playground turns wild when seven-year-old Alyssa — bug hunter, rock collector, dino obsessive — spots something weird in a boulder and just knows. She drags her parents over, they call in the Royal Tyrrell Museum, and boom: she's uncovered a sea star fossil somewhere between 250 and 400 MILLION years old! Experts say finds like this are wildly rare, so this kid has hit the fossil jackpot. The Tyrrell team sliced it free with a diamond saw while Alyssa supervised from the top of the playground like a boss, then finally got to hold her own discovery.

The city rewarded her in many ways! Have you seen a rock like this

Fresh Peaches, Weird Trinkets, and Grandma's Jam: Calgary's Market Scene Awaits

Calgary is secretly stacked with treasure hunts disguised as markets! You've got the Calgary Farmers' Market with two locations packed with fresh produce, baked goods, and seafood, plus Crossroads Market slinging artisan bread and cheese like it's no big deal. Wander over to the Beltline on a Wednesday and you'll stumble into the Farmers & Makers Market, packed with 90+ local small-farms, bakeries, artists, and craftspeople, plus live music — basically a whole vibe, not just a shopping trip. And if you're chasing that flea-market thrill of digging for hidden gems, keep an eye out for pop-up hunts like the CARA flea market over at Eastside City Church. Treat yourself to treats AND experiences!

So grab a tote bag, bring cash, and let's Go get lost in one

The Sound of Good News: $1M for Music Therapy

This has a warm, fuzzy, twist that sounds good to the ears. Calgary's National Music Centre just landed a $1-million win for its Music Therapy program — BMO put up $500K over five years, and The Jim Pattison Foundation matched it dollar-for-dollar, doubling the impact instantly. Can you imagine changing $500,000 into a million, OVERNIGHT? Since 2018, NMC's been quietly bringing music therapy into all five of Calgary's acute care hospitals — helping people through ICU stays, stroke recovery, and some genuinely hard days — and now they're taking the whole thing national, from NICUs in Saskatoon to stroke recovery in Victoria. This genuinely changes someone's worst day into something a little softer. Calgary really does show up.

This is the kind of news that hits the right notes. Get ready to ring the bell

Meet SADIE — 22 lbs of shy girl with a secret goofball inside!

This 1½-year-old cutie needs a chill, loving home to feel safe. She's nervous with new faces at first, but once she warms up? Total Velcro dog — she'll follow you everywhere and love every second of it.

Her silly side is real too: zoomies, carpet rolls, solo fetch sessions, the whole show. She's house-trained, quick to learn, and just wants her people around a lot (a little separation anxiety means she's happiest when you're home).

Good with dogs (proper intro needed), confident cats, and older kids 12+ who respect her space.

How to adopt: Visit the Calgary Humane Society. See her profile

Last week, 46.3% of you got it right! We love that Brenda was honest that she was just taking a wild guess. The answer was $558,000 on EverMeadow Manor. You can check out the listing.

This week we're trading a two story in for a bungalow on a quiet tree lined street. With convenient LRT access and a vibrant multi-cultural community, this home has it all!

Take a good look at the photos and cast your vote. Bonus points if you can guess the neighbourhood (just hit reply and shoot us an email with your guess).

What do you think this house in Calgary is listed at?

Tuesday, August 4

Summer Festival 2026 (Mountain View Festival) | Young musicians and faculty perform art song and chamber music to open a four-night festival. Southern Alberta Pioneers Memorial Building, 3625 4 St SW. Tickets

Wednesday, August 5

Calgary Wild FC vs. AFC Toronto | Calgary's professional women's soccer team takes on AFC Toronto. McMahon Stadium, 1817 Crowchild Tr. NW. Tickets

Curiosities and Oddities Walking Tour | A 1.5-hour guided walk through Heritage Park's strangest corners — Prince House, Wing Chong Laundry, Gledhill's Pharmacy. 7:00 p.m. Heritage Park, 1900 Heritage Dr. SW. Tickets

Thursday, August 6

Historic Stephen Avenue Guided Tour | A 1.5-hour guided walk through Calgary's National Historic District, exploring architectural gems and stories along Stephen Avenue. 10:00 a.m. & 2:00 p.m. Tickets

Fraser Wayne with Carter Felker | King Eddy | 7:30 p.m. Tickets

Friday, August 7

Calgary Fringe Festival closes | The 20th annual nine-day indoor theatre and performance festival wraps up. Various venues. Details

Curiosities and Oddities Walking Tour | Another round through Heritage Park's oddest corners. 7:00 p.m. Heritage Park. Tickets

Movie Night at The Grand: West Side Story | Big-screen classic in a historic downtown venue. The Grand, 608 1st St. SW. Tickets

Cocktails for Conservation | An after-hours zoo evening — local drink vendors, animal visits, garden strolls, and food stations. 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo. Tickets

Saturday, August 8

World Supercross Canadian GP | The FIM World Supercross Championship makes its Canadian debut — bar-to-bar racing, massive jumps, and stadium pyrotechnics. 6:00 p.m. McMahon Stadium. Tickets

Rosé Disco | An afternoon of local wines, chef pop-ups, and DJ sets. 2:00 to 8:00 p.m. The Confluence Historic Site and Parkland. Tickets

Sunday, August 9

Marda Gras Festival | Calgary's longest-running street festival — four stages of live music and dance, 250+ local vendors, and the annual Pet Pageant at 1:30 p.m. 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Marda Loop, 33 Ave SW between 18 and 22 St. Details

Red Panda Breakfast | Pancake breakfast plus a private viewing of the zoo's newly redeveloped Asian Highlands habitat. 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo. Tickets

Sunday Safari Brunch | Gourmet and comfort breakfast in Destination Africa. Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo. Tickets

Want your event featured? Hit reply and send us the details. If it's cool, we'll share it with Calgary.

Here's the Gig List for Tue, Aug. 4 – Mon, Aug. 10, 2026:

Tuesday, Aug. 4

Wednesday, Aug. 5

Open Mic | Ironwood Stage | Wed, 7:00 p.m. Details
MRG Live Presents Anna Tivel with Sam Weber | The Palomino Smokehouse | Wed, doors TBD Details

Thursday, Aug. 6

Friday, Aug. 7

Saturday, Aug. 8

Sunday, Aug. 9

Monday, Aug. 10

Paeton Cameron House Band | King Eddy | Mon, 4:30 p.m. Details
Poetry Slam | Dickens Pub | Mon, evening Details

Have a great week!

P.S. Forward this to someone who hates the word “moist”.

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Calgary's Westjet Briefly Grounded While The Himalayan's Are Closer Than You Think

What do you think this house in Calgary is listed at?

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