Calgary's calendar is unusually full this mid-November stretch, with a Grey Cup festival, two Christmas markets, a returning zoo light show and a touring Disney musical all landing within a few days. If you're in the city between November 9 and 15, here's what's worth building a trip around.
The biggest draw is football. Stampede Park hosts the Cenovus Energy 2026 Grey Cup Festival from November 11 to 15 — five days of concerts, drone shows and free pancake breakfasts ahead of the CFL's championship. Most events are priced individually, and some are free, so it's easy to drop in without committing to game tickets.
Christmas kicks off in earnest too. The Spruce Meadows International Christmas Market runs November 13 to 15 and again on November 20, with more than 250 vendors selling handcrafted gifts and holiday treats, a tree-lighting ceremony and actual reindeer on site (general admission $20 plus fees). If you'd rather shop sooner, the Millarville Christmas Market southwest of the city wraps its final weekend November 12 to 15 — adults pay $8, and kids under 12 get in free.
ZooLights returns to the Calgary Zoo for its first weekend starting Friday, November 13, from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Expect light tunnels, life-sized gingerbread houses and a carousel; tickets vary by date. Stage fans have options as well: Broadway Across Canada brings Disney's Beauty and the Beast to the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium from November 10 to 15, with tickets from $185.60, while the Common Ground Festival at the Pumphouse Theatre stages 10 original works by local artists from November 11 to 14 for as little as $25.
Sports and food round things out. The Calgary Hitmen host the Lethbridge Hurricanes at the Scotiabank Saddledome on November 10 at 7 p.m. (tickets from about $34), and the YYC Noodle Festival runs through November 15, letting diners rate noodle dishes at restaurants across the city — with purchases supporting the Leftovers Foundation, which redistributes surplus food.
November 11 is Remembrance Day, and there are two free ways to mark it: a morning ceremony with a moment of silence and musical tributes at The Military Museums (entry by donation afterward), and a service at Studio Bell featuring veteran and musician Mark Beaudin, with free admission to the National Music Centre all day, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For visitors, the timing works nicely: you can do a market in the morning, a ceremony or museum at midday, and lights or live theatre in the evening. Bundle up — this is Calgary in November, so frost and the odd warm chinook are both possible.
