About Calgary
With its picturesque prairie landscapes, spectacular mountain views and vibrant urban centre, dynamic blend of warm western hospitality and big-city energy, Calgary is an excellent choice to host IGC 2028. With a population of over 1.4 million, Calgary is the 4th largest city in Canada. Known as the “Greatest Outdoor Show”, the Calgary Stampede welcomes one million spectators during ten days in July, celebrating our western heritage which can also be explored year round at Heritage Park. 2024’s stampede drew in crowds of 1.4 million! Calgary’s energy is a reflection of its entrepreneurial history, cowboy spirit, and cosmopolitan attitude.
Calgary’s energy exhilarates, invigorates, and motivates; it is a place of big ideas, big skies, and welcoming, friendly people. There is always something to do whether trying a new restaurant or attending one of the many festivals or attractions. Calgary is gaining global recognition for its architecture, young and energized population, and celebrated arts and culinary scenes.
Images (top to bottom): Calgary Stampede (image by Colin Way), Busker + Calgary Tower (image by Colin Way), Calgary Marathon 2023 (image by Emily Miles), Calgary Airport (image by Colin Way). Header image by Emily Miles.
Things to discover in Calgary
Calgary Cuisine
Calgary is a vibrant culinary destination where innovation meets bold flavors. With over 200 restaurants in downtown alone, you’ll find everything from upscale dining to classic western fare, all crafted by internationally acclaimed chefs. Whether you’re indulging in a gourmet experience or savoring local favorites, Calgary’s cuisine is a feast for every palate.
Arts and Culture
Calgary’s arts and culture scene is alive with creativity, offering world-class performances from ballet to musicals and comedy. Home to diverse theatre companies, music halls, galleries, and festivals, the city is a dynamic hub where artistic expression thrives.
Shopping in Calgary
From handcrafted cowboy boots to high-end fashion, Calgary’s shopping scene is as diverse as its skyline. Discover local boutiques, bustling malls, and unique finds that make retail therapy an unforgettable experience.
Professional Sports Leagues
As the proud home of seven professional sports leagues - including hockey, ringette, football, soccer, lacrosse and equestrian - Calgary offers thrilling year-round action.
Fans can witness elite athletes in action and experience the city’s undeniable energy, whether at the stadium, on the ice, or on the field.
Day Trips from Calgary
There are five UNESCO Sites with geological significance within an easy day trip from Calgary, as well as other accessible day trips.
Dinosaur Provincial Park
UNESCO World Heritage (and Geoheritage) Site
Showing the greatest known concentration of Late Cretaceous dinosaur fossils (44 species).
Image credit: Jenni Scott
Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Known world-wide for its remarkable testimony of prehistoric life. The site bears witness to a custom practiced by native people of the North American plains at HSIBJ for nearly 6,000 years.
Image credit: Andrew Penner/ Travel Alberta
The Burgess Shale
The first observed evidence for the “Cambrian Explosion of Life” can be found in the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Image credit: Murdoch McKinnon
Writing on the Stone Provincial Park
UNESCO World Heritage Site
The unusual landforms here are where significant things happened to the ancestors of the Blackfoot. It is a place where the ancient stories took place and has thousands of petroglyphs that date back over 5,000 years.
Image credit: Alberta Parks
Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology
Internationally renowned museum dedicated exclusively to the study of ancient life, featuring one of the world’s largest displays of dinosaurs.
Image credit: Royal Tyrrell Museum
Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park
UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
Discover high mountains and deep canyons, forest belts and prairie grasslands, deep glacial-trough lakes and rivers that feed three oceans.
Image credit: Christina Skeith @flygirrrl/ Travel Alberta
Drumheller badlands and hoodoos
Explore the badlands landscapes with its hoodoos and burning coal beds.
Image credit: Travel Alberta
Blackfoot Crossing
Visit the location of the Treaty 7 signing and immerse yourself in elder story-teller, dancing performances, whilst sampling traditional Bannock (Indigenous bread). Overnight stays in tepees are possible.
Image credit: K Boggs