Good morning, beautiful people of Calgary!
After a million years our summer camp guide is here. We went all in and covered over 50 programs around the city. We hope it helps you navigate the chaos of summer logistics. Please tell us if you have more options for us to add.
Our patio guide is also coming together. The only problem is we cannot test patios right now. If we only cover the spots we have tested personally, the guide will be very short. Please give us your tips. I have received a few awesome suggestions from you, but we need more.
Today, we have a massive local roundup. We are talking about Banff's biggest grizzly bear waking up for spring, a billion-dollar tech deal, and a tough wave of restaurant closures. We also included a few family-friendly Easter egg hunts in the planner below so you can start preparing (in addition to massive list of adult events and gigs around the city).
I did not expect to say this on the 31st of March, but please, stay warm.
Let’s get to it.
Was this e-mail shared with you? Sign up here.
Share the Scoop, Get Rewarded Help us grow Calgary’s best community and earn rewards.
3 Referrals: A 150-character Classified Ad or Birthday Shoutout.
10 Referrals: A $20 gift card (Monogram Coffee, Village Ice Cream, etc).
50 Referrals: A $100 dinner on us (The Keg, Earls, Cactus Club etc.).
Spring is here because The Boss says so. Forget the weather forecasts. The ultimate sign of spring in the Rockies has arrived. The Boss, Banff's most famous and enormous grizzly bear, is out of his den. He was spotted roaming on March 27. It means it is time to pack your bear spray on those mountain hikes and double-check your tire changeover appointments. Watch the video
A rough month for the local food scene. Running a restaurant in this city is a hard business. March saw a wave of closures across the local dining landscape. The most notable hit is Something More in Chinatown. The family is closing its doors after 32 years of serving up Chinese BBQ. Read about Something More and see the full list of closures.
Calgary tech keeps making big moves. We like to report news like this. US-based Ecolab just bought Calgary's CoolIT Systems for $4.75 billion USD. The 25-year-old company started in a local garage back in 2001 making cooling gear for desktop gaming computers. Today, they build direct liquid cooling systems for massive AI data centers. You could say, they make the high-tech plumbing that keeps global supercomputers from overheating. While a private equity firm gets the bulk of the sale money, the deal includes massive payouts for the staff. Around 650 permanent employees are expected to receive average cash bonuses of $240,000 USD each, with some long-term staff getting up to eight times their annual salary. Read about the deal
Pushing back against youth unemployment. Youth unemployment remains stubbornly high across the province, and it is time to do something about it. Hopefully a new $6 million investment for an Alberta Trades Discovery Centre in town can help. The goal is to get more young hands on tools and into careers that are hiring. See the unemployment stats and read about the centre.
The rezoning marathon continues. City Hall is still working through the citywide rezoning proposal. The initial public hearings drew record-breaking crowds and went late into the night. Because the speaker list is so long, the hearings will resume on April 2. Council is giving everyone a chance at the microphone before any votes happen. Follow the hearings
This is Lady Don Bluey.
She is a three-month-old medium mixed breed with a name that commands respect. Weighing in at 15 pounds (though she still has plenty of growing to do), Bluey is the definition of a confident puppy. She had a rough start in life, but she has not let that slow her down.
She likes to keep busy by wrestling her siblings or hunting for hidden kibble in her bedding. Because she is young, she needs a home ready to give her the patience and guidance required to become your new best friend. Note that she has already started the adoption process and can go to her new home on or after April 1 following her spay.
How to adopt: Visit the Calgary Humane Society. See her profile
And we are back to being wrong. Last week, the majority of you (58.8%) got the apartment price wrong and overshot it by 100K. I guess it is a good sign: the apartment prices (at least some) are lower than what we normally expect.
We have seen fancy builds and historic homes. This week, we are going PURPLE.
Take a good look at the photos for this week and cast your vote. Bonus points if you can guess the location (just hit reply and shoot us an email with your guess of the location).
Tuesday, March 31
Sheng Wang | The comedian from the Netflix special Sweet & Juicy performs at Bella Concert Hall. Show starts at 8:00 p.m. Get tickets
Science in the Cinema: I, Robot | Head to the Central Library for a screening of I, Robot. An expert panel on artificial intelligence will lead a discussion after the credits roll. Movie starts at 5:30 p.m. Register
Wednesday, April 1
Spring Ghost Tours | Walk the haunted side of Calgary's history at Heritage Park. Hear chilling stories of ghostly sightings while roaming the park after dark. Tours run at 7:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Get tickets
Calgary One Act Play Festival | Four nights of short-form competitive theatre at the Pumphouse Theatre. Shows nightly at 7:30 p.m., tickets $18. Get tickets
Smut Slam | This storytelling open-mic is at Gulbar. Starts at 8:00 p.m. Get tickets
Kathleen Edwards | The Canadian singer-songwriter plays Bella Concert Hall. Show starts at 8:00 p.m. Get tickets
Thursday, April 2
The Barr Brothers | The indie folk band brings the Let it Hiss Tour to The Palace Theatre with special guest Georgia Harmer. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. Get tickets
UCalgary Orchestra | Catch the university orchestra performing their spring concert. Show starts at 8:00 p.m. Get tickets
Thursday Evenings at CFM West | Skip the weekend parking lot battles. The Calgary Farmers' Market West location is open until 7:00 p.m. Plan your visit
Friday, April 3
Monochrome Milonga | Head to Kingsland Community Hall for an elegant night of tango. There is a guided beginner lesson from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., followed by dancing until midnight. Get details
Easter Eggstravaganza | The Calgary Zoo's four-day Easter celebration runs April 3–6, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day. Plan your visit
The Rock Orchestra By Candlelight | Classical musicians perform huge rock and metal anthems by candlelight at the Jubilee Auditorium. Show starts at 8:00 p.m. Get tickets
National Service Dogs Easter Egg Hunt | Bring the family and the dog to Calaway Park for NSD's fundraiser egg hunt. Registration at 10:00 a.m., hunt starts at 11:00 a.m. Tickets from $25/family. Register
Saturday, April 4
The Price Is Right Live! | Come on down to the Grey Eagle Event Centre. The touring version of the classic game show starts at 1:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Get tickets
Calgary Roughnecks vs. Oshawa Firewolves | It is Tiki Party night at the Saddledome. The lacrosse action starts at 7:00 p.m. Get tickets
Sunday, April 5
Laugh Loft Comedy | Karla Marx and Victoria Banner host this weekly stand-up show at The Attic. The laughs start at 7:30 p.m. Get tickets
Hitmen vs. Wheat Kings | Puck drop is at 5:00 p.m. Get tickets
Monday, April 6
Comedy Cave: Ola Dada | Canadian stand-up Ola Dada opens his week-long run at Comedy Cave. Show starts at 7:30 p.m. Get tickets
Want your event to be featured? Hit reply and send us the details. If it's cool, we'll share it with Calgary.
Tom Phillips & The DT | The Blues Can | Tue, 8:00 PM Info
Pregame PWHL Takeover Tour | The Palomino Smokehouse | Wed, 4:30 PM Info
K-Man & The 45s | Ship & Anchor | Wed, 8:00 PM Info
Mojo Philter | The Blues Can | Wed, 8:00 PM Info
MEATS' Bad Thursday | The Palomino Smokehouse | Thu, 8:00 PM Info
Partiboi69 | Commonwealth Bar & Stage | Thu, 10:00 PM Info
Paeton Cameron | The Blues Can | Thu, 5:00 PM Info
Black Cherry Perry & The Mississippi Medicine Show | The Blues Can | Thu, 8:00 PM Info
Happy Hour with The Crickettes | King Eddy | Fri, 4:30 PM Info
Rum Ragged | Ironwood Stage & Grill | Fri, 8:00 PM Info
Tom Phillips | The Blues Can | Fri, 12:00 PM Info
Mark Sadlier Brown | The Blues Can | Fri, 5:00 PM Info
Donald Ray Johnson | The Blues Can | Fri, 9:00 PM Info
Extensive Slaughter | The Palomino Smokehouse | Fri, 8:00 PM Info
D.B. Cooper & The Hijackers | King Eddy | Fri, 8:30 PM Info
Acoustic Afternoons with Stark Sky & Amber Williams | King Eddy | Sat, 11:30 AM Info
Sweet Hearts of Country Music | Ironwood Stage & Grill | Sat, 8:00 PM Info
Run the Plank | The Palomino Smokehouse | Sat, 8:00 PM Info
Martina Dawn, Beamer Wigley & Jordyn Pollard | King Eddy | Sat, 8:30 PM Info
Saturday Afternoon Jamming with Mike Clark | The Blues Can | Sat, 3:00 PM Info
Kenny Blues Boss Wayne | The Blues Can | Sat, 9:00 PM Info
Sunday Afternoon Gravity Jazz Jam | Gravity Espresso & Wine Bar | Sun, 3:00 PM Info
Sunday Afternoon Jammin' at The Can | The Blues Can | Sun, 3:00 PM Info
Sunday Night Blues Jammin' at The Can | The Blues Can | Sun, 8:00 PM Info
Have a great week.
P.S. Forward this to someone you want to take out for live music and beers this week.