Calgary has a number of renowned and respected annual festivals and events that celebrate the right-hand side of our brains. 

Here are the major arts festivals in and around the city:

• The Banff Mountain Film and Book Festivals are a world celebration of mountain themed cinema and literature
• The Banff Summer Arts Festival sees the mountain town host performances ranging from the intimate to the spectacular
• The Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo celebrates the best in sci-fi, fantasy, anime, gaming, animation and horror with exhibitors and panel discussions
• The Calgary Fringe Festival is an annual fringe (uncensored, non-juried) theatre festival.  
• The Calgary International Children’s Festival is the third-largest children’s festival in Canada
• The Calgary International Film Festival celebrates cinema every fall
• Enbridge playRites is an internationally recognized showcase of new Canadian theatre
• The High Performance Rodeo swaggers as it should, with the best in new and experimental performance art
• The International Festival of Animated Objects is a biennial 10-day event celebrating puppetry and more with performances, workshops and screenings around town
• The International Native Arts Festival puts Calgary’s First Nations heritage and art in the spotlight
• Wordfest is the third-largest literary festival in Canada, honouring both the written and spoken word