Early November in Calgary is shaping up as a proper mixed bag — big-name rock, a city-wide jazz festival, cheap ice time, a science takeover and the first Christmas event of the season, all crammed into the first week of the month.
Music is the headline act. The Smashing Pumpkins bring their Rats In A Cage Tour to the Scotiabank Saddledome on Tuesday, Nov. 3, with two sets marking 30 years of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness — tickets start at $232.30. On the other end of the price spectrum, JazzYYC's Canadian Jazz Festival runs six days from Nov. 3 to 8, scattering established and up-and-coming Canadian acts across Studio Bell, Devonian Gardens, Ironwood Stage and Grill and venues along Inglewood's Music Mile. And on Friday, Nov. 6, the FILMharmonique Orchestra performs Danny Elfman's score live alongside a screening of The Nightmare Before Christmas at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, from $74.99.
Comedy and culture round things out. Queer Eye's Jonathan Van Ness lands at MacEwan Hall on Thursday, Nov. 5 with their Hot and Healed tour (18+, from $57.55). Also that Thursday, Contemporary Calgary throws open its doors for Free First Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m., this time with dance performances and workshops tied to Fluid Fest — free, but you'll need to register. The Calgary Justice Film Festival offers free documentaries on human rights and the environment at The Confluence from Nov. 5 to 7, with community discussions after many screenings.
Food and family options are plentiful too. The YYC Noodle Festival runs Nov. 5 to 15, with restaurants across the city serving special noodle dishes you can vote on. Beakerhead's Petri Dish turns Telus Spark into a hands-on science playground Nov. 6 to 8 — Friday night is adults-only ($39), Saturday is free and Sunday costs $10 for adults. Budget skaters can hit the Olympic Oval's Monday Toonie Skate for $2 from 6 to 8 p.m., while a short drive to Rocky View County gets you Blue Grass Nursery's Jingle and Mingle on Thursday evening: 20% off holiday decor, live music and a Santa photo op, free to attend.
For travellers, it's a tidy argument for visiting Calgary in early November: the summer crowds are gone, hotel prices have cooled, and the city still packs its venues and festivals into the shoulder season.
