Well the weather has been here for the better part of the past month so to go along with all the white stuff, the Christmas Craft Season has also begun!  Get ready for your fill of Christmas music, apple cider and of course a great selection of fine hand-crafted treasures and homemade goodies!

We will be posting updates most weekends on what events are taking place throughout NW Calgary; if your are part of or know of an event that we have not featured please comment below and we will add it to our growing list..

Craft fair shopping is a great way to Shop Local and support local businesses!

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24

10 AM - 5 PM : Highland Park Community Association, 3716 - 2 Street NW

10 AM - 4 PM : Foothills United Church, 3803 - 69 Street NW

10 AM - 3 PM : Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, 8007 Bowness Road NW

10 AM - 3 PM : Dalhousie Community Association, 5432 Dalhart Road NW

  9 AM - 3 PM : Sandstone Ecumenical Centre, 1100 Berkshire Boulevard NW

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25

10 AM - 4 PM : Highland Park Community Association, 3716 - 2 Street NW

10 AM - 4 PM : Uplands Recreation Centre, 20 Hawkside Road NW

Halloween is almost upon us and with our unseasonable and certainly un-Calgary-like weather the past two weeks, more wee costumed ones will likely be looking for some indoor trick or treating fun.

We have compiled as thorough a list as possible with all of the NW Calgary indoor Halloween events.

It isn’t the same as going door-to-door of course, but even splitting time between one of these great indoor events and some traditional door knocking might save some parental strife and some frozen ghouls and goblins.

Besides, Superman looks pretty silly busting at the seams with a snowsuit underneath; ends up looking more like the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man than the Man of Steel!

If you know of any other NW Calgary indoor Halloween events please post them in the comments section below.

Have a safe and fun Halloween!

NORTHLAND VILLAGE MALL

Halloween activities and entertainment, including trick-or-treating, crafts and more, 3-5pm.

http://www.northlandvillagemall.ca/events.php?Events-1

MARKET MALL

No activities, but most stores and Guest Services will be passing out candy, 10am-9pm.

https://www.facebook.com/MarketMall

NORTH HILL CENTRE

Dress up the little ones for some trick-or-treating, 4-6pm.

http://www.northhillcentre.com

HAUNTED CALGARY: OUTBREAK - ROCKY RIDGE

6th annnual haunted house, donation recommended, not advised for children under 14, 6-10pm.

http://hauntedcalgary.com/about.html

HAUNTED HOUSE - ARBOUR LAKE

There will be Ghosts and Goblins as well as lots of treats, 6:30pm.

http://arbourlake.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/download.pdf

The first snow-filled football game of the year can only mean one thing...the playoffs are near!

Today appears to mark that day and the game at hand gives you plenty of reasons to pull on your woollies and head off to McMahon.

The Ti-Cats hit town for the first time this year so that means Smiling Hank also makes his first appearance back in Calgary since the off-season trade that saw Burris and current Stamps pivot, Kevin Glenn swap teams. Arguably one of the most popular players to don a Stamps jersey, Burris should receive a solid round of applause for his first snap behind centre before officially becoming the enemy.

If that isn’t enough motivation (which it should be!) tonight’s matchup is also the Stamps fifth annual PinkPower game in conjunction with the Canadian Cancer Society, to support the battle against women’s cancers and help raise awareness. Fans can purchase special pink Stamps gear at the game or donate online.

Kickoff is set for 5 PM today, Saturday, October 20 and tickets are still available so gear up, get your pink on and see you at the game!  For more information on the matchup, PinkPower and ticket sales, click on the links below.

GO STAMPS GO!

CALGARY STAMPEDERS PINKPOWER EVENT

http://stampeders.com/article/stamps-als-kick-off-season

CALGARY STAMPEDERS GAME DAY INFORMATION

http://www.stampeders.com/article/stamps-looking-for-10th-victory

CALGARY STAMPEDERS TICKETMASTER GAME DAY SALES

http://www.ticketmaster.ca/event/110048B1AD186F8C?artistid=891712&majorcatid=10004&minorcatid=8

A very intelligent and innovative concept comes to NW Calgary this weekend as a National Costume Swap Day event is set for this Saturday, October 13.

The event is exactly as advertised; an opportunity to trade-in your gently used costumes instead of buying brand new costumes that your kids will only wear for one day!

The event is part of the National Costume Swap campaign presented by UsedEverywhere.com and the NW Calgary event takes place from 2:30-5:30PM at 4Cats Arts Studio located at Unit 8B, 34 Edgedale Drive NW at the intersection of Edgemont Blvd NW and Edgedale Drive NW.

You can bring your costumes in on Saturday at 2:30pm (SHARP); costumes must be in clean & good condition and you will get a token for every costume dropped off and exchange the token/s for a different costume.  Costumes that are being accepted are 0-18 years and please include all accessories.

There will also be free art activities for kids and it will give you a great opportunity to check out the studio if you haven’t been there already.

For more information click on the links below and have fun swapping!

4CATS ART STUDIO EVENT PAGE

http://www.4cats.com/edgedale-events

NATIONAL COSTUME SWAP FACEBOOK PAGE

https://www.facebook.com/nationalcostumeswapdaycanada

More great CFL football action tonight as the BC Lions invade McMahon Stadium to take on the Stamps and Nik Lewis Nation in their first meeting of the year.

Along with the great game, tonight marks Calgary’s turn in the Purolator Tackle Hunger food drive campaign.  You can take part in the food drive by bringing non-perishable food items or cash donations to Purolator volunteers stationed at the stadium gates. In return, you’ll have the opportunity to win a digital photo with the Grey Cup and enter to win a trip for two to the 100th Grey Cup in Toronto.

Game time is 7 PM but be sure to get there early for some great tail-gating fun.  For more information about the game or to get tickets click on the links provided below.

GO STAMPS GO!

STAMPEDERS-LIONS GAME DAY PREVIEW

http://www.stampeders.com/article/stamps-face-defending-champs

STAMPEDERS GAME DAY TICKET INFORMATION

If you are a Trekkie and live in NW Calgary then you need to head down to Bowness tonight as Star Trek takes to the 3-storey screen for a summer Movie In The Park event!

The evening starts at 8:30 PM and goes until midnight (weather dependant) just over the bridge in Bowness in the field at RB Bennett school, 6305 - 33 Ave NW.  There is a suggested donation for admission of $10 per blanket or $5 per chair and of course this is an alcohol-free family event.

This 2009 reboot of the famous Star Trek franchise, starring Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto as the tandem of Captain James T. Kirk and Spock was a huge hit...and one of my favourite flicks...receiving excellent reviews and for those who follow it, an amazing 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

So grab your pointy ears, brush up your Klingon and set your phasers for fun as you head down to Bowness for a great movie under the stars.

For more information about the event or to get more information about the movie click on the links below.

BOWNESS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION FACEBOOK PAGE

https://www.facebook.com/mybowness

ROTTEN TOMATOES STAR TREK MOVIE REVIEW

Another great family event comes to NW Calgary this weekend as sesame Street Live returns to the Jubilee Auditorium for a fun-filled 3-day run.

This year’s production, ‘Elmo Makes Music” takes to the stage for five shows beginning with the premiere show on Friday night at 7:00 PM, two shows on Saturday at 10:30 AM and 2:00 PM and then wrapping up with another two shows Sunday at 1:00 PM and 4:30 PM.

Doors for the show open one hour early so your wee ones can stock up on Sesame Street treats, t-shirts and toys, so make sure they bring their allowance along.

Not surprisingly, ‘Elmo Makes Music’ (as are all Sesame Street Live productions) is a fantastic show for kids!  The show has a lot of upbeat musical numbers, bright costumes, and familiar characters. Any fan of Sesame Street, will be a fan of the show!

ELMO MAKES MUSIC JUBILLE AUDITORIUM EVENT PAGE:

http://www.jubileeauditorium.com/Southern/Events/2012-07-27/Sesame-Street-Live-Elmo-Makes-Music/261402

SESAME STREET LIVE WEBSITE:

HUDDLE UP!

Alright red and white fans, I know it’s been a tough start to the season going 1-2 and losing our starting quarterback, likely for the season, but the Stamps have more than enough talent and heart to right the ship and make a serious run at the 100th Grey Cup.

The quest continues tonight as the hated (is that too strong of a word...no, I don't think so) Roughriders along with their watermelon-wearing, green-face-painted fans invade the otherwise civilized confines of McMahon Stadium this evening to battle our hometown heroes.

Let’s show the league that Stamps fans are indeed the best in the country and drown out the ruckus from the prairie folk...wear you red tonight and cheer your heart out.

Kickoff is at 7 PM with the standard array of tailgating festivities taking place beforehand.  There are still some tickets available, for more information on getting your hands on them and for a full game day preview click on the links below.

GO STAMPS GO!

STAMPEDERS GAME DAY TICKET INFORMATION

http://www.ticketmaster.ca/event/110048B1AD216FC2?artistid=891712&majorcatid=10004&minorcatid=8

STAMPEDERS GAME DAY PREVIEW

Another great NW Calgary event is on tap for this weekend as the 19th Annual Kensington Sun and Salsa Festival takes to the streets on Sunday, July 22.

The festival revolves around a salsa competition that pits local Kensington businesses against each other in a battle for salsa supremacy!  You get to be the judge and jury in this competition; tortilla chips can be purchased from a number of on-site charities and then you can taste test your way through all the spicy recipes vying for the title.

If salsa isn’t your thing, there will be a plethora of other activities and attractions to take in including live entertainment, vendors, cultural dancing, street performers and a dedicated Kids Zone with everything from hula hoop and maraca making to the 1st Annual Cupcake Walk.

Both Kensington Road and 10 Street will be closed for the day so if you are planning to come down and take part in the fun, taking the LRT to Sunnyside Station is most likely your best bet.

For additional information about the festival, click on the link below.

KENSINGTON SUN AND SALSA FESTIVAL PAGE

NW Calgary's Authoritative Pancake Breakfast Guide!

Stampede breakfasts are a way of life for 10 days in Calgary and this year is no different with all the pancakes, syrup, hash browns, sausages and country music you could ever want.  A handful of Stampede feasts this year are in the form of afternoon or evening BBQ’s, so after you’ve digested your breaky you can head out for more free grub!

We have the comprehensive...and for all intensive purposes the ONLY dedicated NW Calgary listing of Stampede Breakfasts.  So start planning out your week now and if there are any events we have missed please feel free to comment below with all the details as we don’t want anyone to miss out!

For more information about breakfasts across the city visit the FlapJackFinder website at www.flapjackfinder.com or download the app to your iPhone.

YEEEEEHAW and happy eating!

SATURDAY, JULY 7

8:30 AM-11:00 AM - MLA’s David Swann & Kent Hehr - 1320-5 Avenue NW

8:30 AM-10:30 AM - Northern Hills Community Association - 11950 Country Village Link NE

9:00 AM-11:00 AM - Thorncliffe-Greenview Community Association - 5600 Centre Street N

9:00 AM-11:00 AM - Hamptons Community Association - 10330 Hamptons Blvd NW

9:00 AM-11:00 AM - Triwood Commmunity Association - 2244 Chicoutimi Drive NW

9:00 AM-11:00 PM - Ten Thousand Villages - 220 Crowchild Trail NW

9:00 AM-11:00 AM - Citadel Community Association - 808 Citadel Drive NW

9:00 AM-12:00 PM - Rocky Ridge/Royal Oak - 10307 Eamon Road NW

11:30 AM-1:30 PM - Westside Alliance Church BBQ - 6600 Country Hills Boulevard NW

SUNDAY, JULY 8

8:00 AM-11:00 AM - Wood’s Homes Bowness - 9400-48 Avenue NW

8:30 AM - 9:30 AM - Hope Lutheran Church - 3527 Boulton Road NW

8:00 AM-11:00 AM - The Riverside Club - 110 Point McKay Crescent NW

9:00 AM-11:00 AM - Harvest Hills Alliance Church - 10099 Harvest Hills Blvd NW

9:00 AM-11:00 AM - Hillside Community Church - 27 Arbour Crest Drive NW

9:00 AM-12:00 PM - Scenic Acres Community Association - 8825 Scenic Acres Drive NW

9:00 AM-12:00 PM - Berkshire Community Church - 222 Sandarac Blvd

9:00 AM-12:00 PM - Holy Cross Anglican Church - 2828-19 Street NW

9:30 AM-11:30 AM - Westview Baptist Church - 1313 Ranchlands Way NW

12:00 PM-2:00 PM - Holy Trinity Church - 18 Hidden Creek Road NW

MONDAY, JULY 9

9:00 AM-11:00 AM - CrossIron Mills Shopping Centre - 261055 CrossIron Blvd - SC

9:00 AM-11:00 AM - North Hill Centre - 1632-16 Avenue NW - SC

TUESDAY, JULY 10

9:00 AM-11:00 AM - Market Mall - 3625 Shaganappi Trail NW - SC

WEDNESDAY, JULY 11

7:30 AM-11:00 AM - Wood’s Homes Parkdale - 805-37 Street NW

9:00 AM-11:00 AM - Dalhousie Station - 5005 Dalhousie Drive NW - SC

THURSDAY, JULY 12

9:00 AM-11:00 AM - Northland Village Mall - 5111 Northland Drive NW - SC

FRIDAY, JULY 13

8:00 AM-10:00 AM - Ecoliving Solar Breakfast - 3553-31 Street NW

SATURDAY, JULY 14

8:00 AM-10:00 AM - Hamptons Calgary Co-op - 400, 1000 Hamptons Drive NW

9:00 AM - 1:00 PM - Carpenter’s Union, Local 2103 - 301-10 Street NW

9:00 AM-11:00 AM - Huntington Hills Community Association - 520-78 Avenue NW

9:00 AM-11:00 AM - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints - 155 Panamount Blvd NW

9:00 AM-11:00 AM - Coventry Hills Centre - 130 Country Village Road NE - SC

9:30 AM-11:30 AM - Tuscany Residents Association - 212 Tuscany Way NW

SUNDAY, JULY 15

9:00 AM-11:00 AM - Crescent Heights Community Association - 1101-2 Street NW

9:00 AM-11:30 AM - Kincora Community Association - 352 Kincora Drive NW

Ahh...nothing quite like the season opener!

That’s right, the red and white take to the turf at McMahon Stadium this weekend for the 2012 season opener against the perennially strong Montreal Alouettes.  The Stamps swept Calvillo and the Als last season for the first time since 2008, with a 38-31 home win and an impressive 32-27 at Percival Molson Stadium in Montreal.

Repeating last year’s performance will be difficult as the Als are coming off a season that saw them rack up the most points (515) and become the first team in CFL history to end the year with the league’s leading passer, rusher and receiver...an accomplishment not to be taken lightly.

Kickoff is set for 5 PM on Sunday, July 1, but the pre-game festivities will get underway long before with an official Canada Day Kickoff celebration with live bands, BBQ concession and of course plenty of tailgating excitement!

For more information on the matchup and tickets, click on the link below to go to the Stampeders official website.

GO STAMPS GO!

CALGARY STAMPEDERS SEASON OPENER INFORMATION

Another great NW Calgary musical production begins its run this evening as Jersey Boys comes to the Jubilee Auditorium for an exciting 2 week run; June 28 through July 15.  If you haven’t heard about the production, please do NOT confuse it with Jersey Shore as Snooki and The Situation will not be taking to the stage at the Jube!

Jersey Boys is one of the most acclaimed productions over the past number of years ever since its initial Broadway launch in 2006, racking up an impressive list of hardware including the 2006 Tony Award for Best Musical, 2006 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album, 2009 Olivier Award for Best New Musical and 2010 Australian Helpmann Award for Best Musical.

If you haven’t made up your mind yet consider that to date Jersey Boys has been seen by over 13 million people worldwide...you don’t want to be the only awkward one at the water cooler next week who hasn’t seen it, do you?

JUBILEE AUDITORIUM JERSEY BOYS EVENT INFORMATION

http://www.jubileeauditorium.com/Southern/Events/2012-06-29/Jersey-Boys/259296

DANCECAP JERSEY BOYS TICKET INFORMATION

Another great NW Calgary family fun event this weekend as the Hawkwood Family Picnic in the Park is slated for this Sunday, June 24 from 1:00 - 4:00 PM at Hawkhill Way Park and the outdoor soccer fields on Hawkstone Drive.

The day is jam-packed with activities and events for all ages including a bicycle decorating contest and parade, a glitter tattoo artist, crafts, games, prizes, music and of course a picnic with burgers, refreshments, cotton candy and kettle corn...commence mouth watering now.

For more information about this great community event follow the link below to the Hawkwood Community Association’s event webpage.

Have fun and of course don’t forget your rubber boots and umbrellas just in case!

HAWKWOOD FAMILY PICNIC IN THE PARK EVENT WEBPAGE

The unofficial community garage sale season is winding down but we do have another NW Calgary neighbourhood taking their goods to the curb to sell this weekend as the Scenic Acres event is set for Saturday, June 23.

The community association is also hosting its first ever Show and Shine in conjunction with the sale event featuring some beautiful classic automobiles including a 1973 Cougar XR7 convertible, a 1974 Corvette Stingray and a 1972 Jaguar XKE among others.

The official parade of garage sales starts at 7 AM and the Show and Shine is scheduled to begin 10 AM at the Scenic Acres Community Centre located at 8825 Scurfield Drive NW.

For more information about the event click on the links below and have fun bartering and buying!  

SCENIC ACRES PARADE OF GARAGE SALES EVENT WEBPAGE

http://scenicacresca.ca/events/parade-of-garage-sales/

SCENIC ACRES PARADE OF GARAGE SALES HOME PARTICIPATION LIST

Another great NW Calgary event this weekend if you are an automobile enthusiast as the the 7th Annual Al Azhar Show & Shrine takes place on Saturday, June 23.

Last year’s event had over 230 entrants and has grown into one of Calgary’s largest summer auto shows featuring makes and models of all kinds, from vintage hot rods to special interest autos.  There will be lots of other activities as well including various vendors, food kiosks, beer gardens, a 50/50 draw, silent auction, swap meet and more!

The event takes place at the Al Azhar Grounds in Bowness next to the Bow River at 5151 - 101 Street NW and starts with registration at 8:00 AM followed by the show itself from 9:00 AM until 4:00 PM.  There is no cost to the public attending and just a $10 entry fee for participants that goes to charity.

For more information about the show go to the Shriners event page by clicking on the link below.  Have fun and don’t forget your umbrella!

AL AZHAR SHOW AND SHRINE EVENT WEBPAGE

If you missed seeing John Mellencamp’s show at the Jubilee Auditorium Thursday night, don’t worry!  Why?  Because he’s playing another show on Friday of course.

It would be impossible and foolhardy to try and summarize the incredible achievements by Mellencamp over his illustrious career thus far so I won’t, all I’ll say is Jack n’ Diane, Hurts So Good, Pink Houses, Authority Song, Paper In Fire, Check It Out, Cherry Bomb, Jackie Brown, Peaceful World and so many more...enough said.

If that isn’t enough to entice you to come out then add on the fact that Canada’s own Cowboy Junkies will be opening the show and you might just have one the best concerts of the year.

If that still isn’t enough motivation then you just don’t like good music I guess...sorry to hear that.

For more information about the concert and Mellencamp and to purchase tickets (yes, there are some still available) click on the links below to go to the Jubilee Auditorium and Ticketmaster event pages.

Enjoy the show!

JUBILEE AUDITORIUM EVENT WEBPAGE

http://www.jubileeauditorium.com/Southern/Events/2012-06-22/John-Mellencamp's-'No-Better-Than-This-Tour'/259294

TICKET MASTER EVENT WEBPAGE

Once again along with the overdue arrival of warm weather comes another arrival of sorts as the Mountain Bike Park at Canada Olympic Park opens for the season this Friday, June 22.

The park features designs by Whistler’s Gravity Logic and has something for all skill levels from flowing green trails with pump tracks, to blue jump trails and all the way up to expert-only black trails.  The trails offer loads of excitement and features like teeter-totters, bridges, drops and skinnies.

All the fun of grand opening weekend kicks off on Friday at 5:00 PM and runs until 9:00 PM and then again on the weekend from 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM both days.

For more information about the Mountain Bike Park visit Winsport Canada’s official Canada Olympic Park website by clicking on the link below.

Have fun on the trails!

CANADA OLYMPIC PARK MOUNTAIN BIKING WEBPAGE

If you haven’t made it out to the Hillhurst-Sunnyside Farmer’s Market this year, then this week will be your must-attend event as the Solstice Market is scheduled for Wednesday, June 20 from 3-7 PM.

There will be the usual amazing array of vendors and services as well as a group of environmentally friendly non-profit organizations, a beer and wine garden from 4:30-9:00 PM and of course loads of live music featuring Paizley Haze and Berna-Dean Holland with Prairie Edge.

The event will go rain or shine and you can catch all the action at the Hillhurst-Sunnyside Community association located at 1320 - 5 Avenue NW.

For more information about the Solstice Market go to the official Farmer’s Market website or their Facebook page by clicking on the links below.

HILLHURST-SUNNYSIDE FARMER’S MARKET WEBSITE

http://farmersmarket.hillhurstsunnyside.org

HILLHURST-SUNNYSIDE FARMER’S MARKET COMMUNITY FACEBOOK PAGE

Another great family fun event this weekend in NW Calgary as the 14th Annual Capitol Hill Show & Shine is set for Saturday, June 16 starting at 9 AM.

Whether it’s hot rods, classic cruisers, trucks or even new vehicles there will be something for every auto enthusiast.  If that isn’t enough (which it certainly should be!) you can always come out to take in the delicious BBQ, refreshments, prizes and of course find out which entries take home this year’s top awards!

For more information about the event go to the Capitol Hill Community website by clicking on the link below.

Enjoy this great afternoon and if you really want to make Father’s Day special bring your cheque book along, nothing says ‘I love you Dad’ more than a new car...just sayin’!

CAPITOL HILL COMMUNITY WEBSITE