Street festivals return in Calgary with family-friendly Marda Gras 'lite' on Aug. 8
The Marda Gras Street Festival is back this year, marking the return of street festivals in Calgary.
The festival will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 8 in Marda Loop — at 33 Avenue and 22 Street S.W. — and is free to attend.
Marda Gras is returning with a 'lite' version of the festival after event organizers discussed crowd comfort levels and restrictions this summer.
Due to these organizational challenged, the festival had to change some of the traditional Marda Gras festivities.
The street festival offers visitors a chance to shop locally, reconnect with their community, and stretch their legs at this family-friendly event.
This year’s festival puts an emphasis on outdoor fun. There will be four, street performer corners attendees can walk to and from to take in music, magic and dance groups.
The smaller performances featured this year will replace the usual, larger-scale performances and organizers say the large, elevated stages will return to the Marda Gras Street Festival in 2022.
In order to address crowd comfort levels, there will be no kid’s zone this year — but it will also return in 2022 — and kids can instead pick up a free Marda Loop-themed colouring book.
The event will be pet friendly as well. Guests are also encouraged to bring their pet by the free pet photo booth for a fun Marda Gras-themed picture.
Local vendors and businesses will be set up on the street for people to do some outdoor shopping and browsing.
There will also be prizes given out at the festival, including special offers with a few of the local vendors set up at the festival.
Organizers say the festival is still subject to change, depending on public health restrictions.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
BREAKING Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
'Unacceptable': Trudeau reacts after AFN chief says headdress taken from plane cabin
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief said her headdress was taken from an airplane cabin this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the incident 'unacceptable' and a 'mistake' on the part of Air Canada.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus is low, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Regina police officer injured after being accidentally shot by fellow officer's gun
An investigation is underway after a Regina police officer was accidentally shot by a fellow officer’s gun during the search of a house early Friday morning.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
Island near Mull of Kintyre for sale for US$3.1 million
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.