Science centres after dark hit differently — and Calgary's TELUS Spark is leaning all the way in. Its next adults-only evening, Spark After Dark: Paranormal Activities, lands on Friday, October 9, 2026, with doors at 6 p.m. and the building staying open until midnight. The premise: lots of what we call paranormal might actually have a scientific explanation, and the night sets out to test that with talks, experiments and a healthy dose of entertainment.
The programme is packed. Drop-in activities running most of the evening include a horror-story writing workshop, Draw-A-Monster, a 'can you smell a ghost coming' test, alien oobleck, and a monster-soundtrack session. Timed slots add a brain-focused talk on why your mind might be 'haunting' you, a magic-versus-science show, séances at 7:15, 9 and 10:15 p.m., a look at the science (fiction) of The X-Files, and a ghost research-themed talk called 212 Ghost Walk Into a Study. There's even a worm dissection billed as 'Dissect the Undead' — limited space, so arrive early — plus ghostly makeup from Don's Costume and Makeup shop.
It's not all lab coats. Drag performers Karla Marx, Viscera, Dogiichow, Mac Zine, Dayna Hart, Jackal Morose and Divina Diefor take the stage at 8 p.m. and 9:45 p.m., burlesque artist Axis O'Risa performs, and a live band closes things out at 10:30 p.m.
Tickets cost $36.95 general admission, $29.95 for students and seniors, and $15 for Spark members, with a separate $75 Forging Fortunes workshop available. The venue warns previous editions have sold out, so book ahead — though door tickets may be available. Bring government-issued ID; it's 18+ and staff will check.
TELUS Spark sits at 220 St. George's Dr. NE in northeast Calgary, right beside the Calgary Zoo. On-site parking is $13 for non-members and first-come, first-served; if it fills, the zoo's north lot is also $13, with a free continuous shuttle running between it and Spark's entrance from 6:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.
Why it matters for travellers: if you're in Calgary in early October, this is a genuinely different night out — part Halloween-season warm-up, part science programming, part drag show — and a rare chance to see the science centre without a single kid in tow. Believer or skeptic, it's an easy, affordable evening that pairs well with the zoo-adjacent Bow River area and a weekend of exploring the city.
