Calgary Specialty Attractions

Each year millions of visitors from around the world come to Calgary to partake in the annual event, the Calgary Stampede. Enjoy real rodeos, a midway, shows, and much, much, more. The city of Calgary is transformed for ten days into town celebrating the cowboy culture. Visitors will enjoy the atmosphere and friendly attitude of the locals. Next Stampede is held July 9-18, 2010.

Mario Armengol's piece, Family of Man, stands 6 m tall in the park outside of the Board of Education Building. Created for display at Expo 67 in Montreal, the piece was later donated to Calgary.

Located 10 km (6.2 mi) west of Okotoks and southwest of Calgary, the Big Rock is the largest glacial erratic in the world. Left behind after the Ice Age, far from its original home in the Rocky Mountains, the enormous quartzite block weighs 16,500 tonnes, and was a major landmark and place of legend for travelling Blackfoot tribes. The Big Rock, after which a popular Calgary beer company is named, was Alberta's first natural feature to be determined as a provincial historic site in the 1970s.

The Brick couch on 18th Ave. SW creates an amusing illusion of a soft and inviting couch, but is made of 1100 hand-fired bricks. This piece was created by Brian McArthur & Dawn Detarando in 2004.

The Wild Wild West Event Centre is a totally western-themed event centre featuring an old-style Saloon Bar, coffee shop and antique store on site. During the Stampede, the centre offers a Hillbilly Wedding interactive dinner theatre. The venue is also available for weddings, corporate gatherings, parties and Stampede events.

Found in the Municipal Plaza, in front of City Hall, Calgary-area artist Harry O'Hanlon's bronze statue depicts a family of three horses.

The Bow River Pathway is part of the extensive system of biking and walking trails that crisscross Calgary and is popular with joggers, cyclists, walkers and roller-bladers. The pathway begins in the Northwest beyond Bowness Park and runs along downtown to Prince's Island Park before continuing southeast to Fort Calgary.

The Famous Five sculpture commemorates Emily Murphy, Henrietta Muir Edwards, Irene Parlby, Louise McKinney and Nellie McClung for their outstanding work in early Canadian politics.

Two chubby business men are depicted in a conversation on Calgary's historic Stephen Avenue.

Calgary's first and only corn maze! Explore giant corn mazes, offering over 4 kilometers of fun. Once visitors find their way out of the corn, they can stop by the petting zoo, try many other fun activities such as the corn cannons, jumping pillows, grain train, and mini mazes. A great place for families, friends, and groups. Open late July to mid-October each year.

The three man-sized frogs hanging out on the benches at 21st Avenue SW were created by Calgary resident Peter Smith in 1994.

On Stephen Avenue, this statue depicts a horse made of mechanical equipment.

Among the many statues and sculptures in downtown Calgary are The Trees, 25-meter (75-feet) tall steel structures located on Stephen Avenue Walk on 8th Avenue. The sculptures were added to the city centre in 2000 and feature occasional light shows.

Evelyn Grant's Counting Crows piece is based on the traditional English rhyme that was used to predict one's fortune. The artist has graduated from both University of Calgary's and ACAD's fine arts programs and completed this statue in 2001.

These human-like structures were designed by Mario Armengol for Expo 67. After the event, these statues were purchased and donated to Calgary. Visitors can view the 6.5 m (21 feet) tall "Family of Man," in front of the Calgary Education Centre.