Sunscreen at 2, Hoodie at 8

Dear Scoopers,

Our week has been unhinged. In the best way. But unhinged.

It started with murals.

Not "oh look, a mural" murals. Full art-detective mode. We turned a random Tuesday into a scavenger hunt across the city, hunting down walls we hadn't seen yet like we were being paid for it.

We were not being paid for it.

Then came the plot twist nobody saw coming: the best watermelon shake of our entire lives.

Not "pretty good." Not "solid effort."

Life-altering.

Somewhere in the middle of all this we braved Marda Gras on Sunday.

"Braved" is generous. It was good vibes, wall to wall. Food. Raffles. Music. Homemade goods. Entertainment. We are not entirely sure how one street festival contained all of that, but we're not asking questions.

Also worth reporting: there were just as many puppy treats as human treats. Stuffed cookies and lemonade were clearly THE flavour of the festival this year, and no — we are not above a free sample.

We are, in fact, deeply below a free sample.

We will hunt one down.

And now?

Now we're standing in front of our closet at 9pm, having a full, deeply unnecessary negotiation with ourselves about whether Alberta is about to pull its signature move: "it's still summer" followed immediately by "actually, no, it's not."

Because nothing — NOTHING — says peak Calgary energy like needing sunscreen at 2pm and a hoodie by 8pm.

In THE 403: A 15-year-old just brought home a BMX world championship, a marmot hitched a ride from Kananaskis straight into someone's garage, and Stephen Avenue just got its glow-up (free parking included). Plus, your muffler might owe the city $270 if you're not careful on 17th.

Anyway — Still deciding if that jacket is coming with us.

Let's get to it.

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Playing the ¼ Mile on 17th? That'll Be $270

17th Avenue, we need to talk.

Someone's aftermarket exhaust cost the whole street its peace and quiet, so the City's rolling out a noise blitz through August, afternoons and evenings, in partnership with Calgary Police.

Squealing tires? On the list.

Blown-out stereo doing its best nightclub impression at a red light? On the list.

Revving your engine like you're auditioning for Fast & Furious: Inglewood Drift? That's $270, sir. Maybe $300 if the officer's had a long day and you're feeling extra.

Even the modified mufflers are getting called out by name, which feels personal, but okay.

The patio crowd is throwing a parade — restaurant owners are literally on record saying "please, continue."

The streets are getting their peace and quiet back, One Fine at a Time

Stephen Avenue Just Got Its Glow-Up — Free Parking Included

Stephen Avenue, look at you.

The City just wrapped block one of the revitalization project — new everything underneath a hundred years of history — and instead of just quietly reopening it, they decided to throw a whole campaign at it.

Free parking. Evening and weekend, Harmony Parkade, through June 2027.

Bring cash. Bring an appetite. Bring the friend who still thinks Stephen Ave is "just the place with the Tim Hortons," because that friend needs an intervention and this is it.

One of Calgary's oldest streets just got a reason to be Everyone's New Favourite Hangout Again

Calgary Wild FC's Best Play Happened Off the Field

Calgary Wild FC took a loss on a Saturday.

By the following Monday morning, instead of doing what most of us do after a rough loss (lying face-down, doom-scrolling, blaming the referee out loud to nobody), they showed up at Alberta Children's Hospital and ran soccer drills with kids from the on-site school program.

No press release energy.

No highlight reel.

Just professional athletes trading cleats for hallway high-fives, teaching drills to kids who, frankly, needed a good Monday a lot more than the standings did.

Somewhere in that hospital hallway, someone had the best afternoon of their week, and it wasn't the team that just lost a game 48 hours earlier.

Sometimes the MVP doesn't play on Saturday. Sometimes it shows up Monday morning instead, with zero cameras and zero notes. Read more here

This Marmot Really Said "New City, New Me"

Dear Chris's garage,

A wild marmot got into your car in Kananaskis and rode it all the way home to Airdrie like it had a meeting to get to.

Nobody invited it.

Nobody noticed it during the entire drive.

The kid found it first, which is somehow both the best and most alarming part of this story — imagine opening the garage door expecting bikes and finding a fully committed mountain rodent instead.

And apparently this is NORMAL. Wildlife folks say critters climb into warm engine bays all the time, like it's an Airbnb with excellent reviews and zero cleaning fee.

The marmot has since been safely returned to the mountains, presumably with a great story of its own about the time it summered in Airdrie.

The story, however, is staying in this newsletter forever, because some things you just don't get to un-know. Check Out Marmalades’s Photo Op

From Local Tracks to the World Stage: Meet Gold Winner Teen, Logan Lee

Logan Lee is 15 and just became a WORLD CHAMPION.

Fifteen.

At 15 I was mastering the art of forgetting my locker combination. Logan Lee was out here becoming Girls 15 BMX World Champion in Brisbane, Australia, with a No. 1 plate to prove it.

She's been on a bike since she was four. Followed her big brother into the sport. Went pro at 10, presumably while the rest of us were still figuring out how bike gears work.

And the club that got her there? Calgary BMX — 100% volunteer-run, zero corporate sponsorship, just coaches and parents and a lot of early Saturday mornings.

Calgary really looked at a parking lot with some dirt jumps and said "let's grow a champion here" — and then just quietly, unglamorously did it. Go read her story.

We've built a whole reputation around being die-hard dog people. But today we're making an exception, because cats apparently exist too, and they'd like a word.

Meet MOCHI.

Six years old. Three months into that, if we're being precise, and Mochi strikes us as the type who WOULD want us to be precise. Nine pounds of Ragdoll fluff, and mellow in the way only a cat who knows exactly how good he has it can be.

Here's the thing about Mochi: he doesn't warm up to a new place immediately. He needs a minute. A little runway.

But once he's settled?

Absolute love bug.

He'll tap you with a paw when the pets have stopped and he has NOT approved that decision. He may also issue a small vocal complaint about it, because apparently affection is a scheduled service now and you're behind.

Mochi didn't ask to be the cat who converts dog people.

He's just built for it.

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

66.67% of you nailed last week’s Whitehorn bungalow Price Is Right at $532,000! Check out the listing.

This week we're moving inner city for a two bedroom condo on the 21st floor! Are YOU afraid of heights? Comes with a coveted parking stall in downtown Calgary.

Take a good look at the photos and cast your vote (just hit reply and shoot us an email with your guess).

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

Tuesday, August 11

The Pretty Reckless: Dear God Tour — Grey Eagle Event Centre | Paris Jackson and doug open. Doors 7 p.m., show 8 p.m. All ages. $52+. Tickets

Wednesday, August 12

Hillhurst Sunnyside Farmers' Market | Weekly midweek market at the HSCA, 1320 5 Ave NW. Free entry. 3–7 p.m. Details

Thursday, August 13

Calgary Stampeders vs. BC Lions — McMahon Stadium | Home game, 7 p.m. kickoff. From $32. Tickets

BUMP Urban Art Conference opens — Contemporary Calgary | Three days of talks and panels on public art, cities, and culture, running alongside the BUMP mural festival. Runs through Aug. 15; some sessions free with RSVP. Details

River Hall YYC | Free riverside hangout on the Bow Pathway downtown — live music, food vendors, all ages. Thu–Fri 5–10 p.m. through Sept. 27. Details

Friday, August 14

Carifest — Cowboys Park | Calgary's Caribbean carnival turns 45: music, mas, food, and dancing. Free. Runs through Sunday. Details

Expo Latino Festival — Prince's Island Park | Western Canada's largest outdoor Latin festival hits its 30th year — live music, dance, cultural pavilions, food. Free. 3 p.m.–1 a.m. Friday; runs through Sunday. Details

Eddy Fest — King Eddy / Studio Bell | Three days marking the King Eddy's 120th anniversary, blues to country to singer-songwriter sets. Individual sets and full-weekend wristbands, $15–$120. Runs through Sunday. Tickets

When Words Collide opens — Hyatt Regency Downtown | Multi-genre literary festival, 170+ sessions for writers and readers. $120–$130 full pass; kids under 9 free. Runs through Sunday. Details

Daniel Caesar: Son of Spergy Tour — Scotiabank Saddledome | Doors 6:30 p.m., show 7:30 p.m. From $64. Tickets

Meltt — Commonwealth Bar & Stage | 8 p.m. Details

Black Cherry Perry & The Mississippi Medicine Show — The Blues Can | 8 p.m. Details

Saturday, August 15

Tactical Days — The Military Museums | Local military units and first responders with vehicle displays and demos, plus a kids' zone. $7–$17. 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; also Sunday.Tickets

Chinatown Street Festival | Calgary Chinatown's signature event — food, performances, market stalls. Free. Noon–8 p.m. Details

Chelsea Handler: The High and Mighty Tour — Grey Eagle Event Centre | Doors 6:30 p.m., show 8 p.m. $79.99–$129.99. Tickets

Lovebullies — The Blues Can | 9 p.m. Details

Sunday, August 16

Carifest, Expo Latino, Eddy Fest, When Words Collide, and Tactical Days all wrap today — last chance for any of them.

Monday, August 17

17 on 17 — five spots along 17th Ave SW | Free sidewalk concerts at five locations along the avenue, monthly series. 2–3 p.m. Details

Summer on 17th | Evening edition — spontaneous pop-up performances up and down the strip. Free. 6–9 p.m. Details

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

Tuesday, Aug. 11

Wednesday, Aug. 12

Thursday, Aug. 13

J. Plank | King Eddy | Thu, 7:30 p.m. Tickets

Friday, Aug. 14

Saturday, Aug. 15

Sunday, Aug. 16

Monday, Aug. 17

That’s the scoop. We’ll see you out there!

P.S. Forward this to someone who needs to be reminded to renew their vehicle registration.

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