Every August, Calgary's skies light up with thousands of lights during the annual GlobalFest at Elliston Park. This celebration of Calgary's multicultural communities features pavilions, performances, international food, children's programming, and spectacular fireworks. This year's event will showcase stunning presentations by world-class pyro-musical artists from Spain, Brazil, Mexico, and the USA, culminating in a grand Canadian-produced finale.
Oneworld Festival
The OneWorld Festival is the cultural heart of GlobalFest, happening in Elliston Park before the International Fireworks Festival each night. The festival features over 20 cultural pavilions representing various nations, children's programming, community spaces, over 25 food trucks and international food booths, and a night market. Elliston Park gates open at 6:00 pm, offering sights, sounds, and tastes from Calgary's cultural communities, complete with heritage dress, music, and performances on two stages. The Night Market also has about a dozen vendors.
Performance Stages
The TD Main Stage and Air Canada Stage at OneWorld Festival feature back-to-back multicultural music and entertainment. Visitors can enjoy cultural performances from Africa, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan, Philippines, Slovenia, Thailand, Turkey, Venezuela, and Ukraine.
International Fireworks Festival
The major highlight of the festival is the International Fireworks Festival, which consists of six firework presentations from five international teams. Pyrotechnic displays take place over Elliston Park in Southeast Calgary and are synchronized with music. The 2024 GlobalFest features world-class pyro musical artists, including 2023 Champion Spain (Thursday, 15 August), Mexico (Tuesday, 20 August), Brazil (Saturday, 17 August), and the USA (Thursday, 22 August), plus GlobalFest’s finale by Canada’s Archangel Fireworks (Saturday, 24 August). The nightly fireworks displays at GlobalFest typically begin between 9:30 pm and 10 pm.
Events at Global Fest
The GlobalFest also features the Human Rights Forum. It's a week-long event that aims to discuss issues of human rights and diversity. It is held at the John Dutton Theatre, which is part of Calgary Central Public Library.
Tickets
GlobalFest offers various ticket options for its annual cultural celebration. Nightly tickets range from $17 to $22 CAD, while VIP tickets cost $47 CAD. For full event access, 5-day passes are available, priced between $38 and $188 CAD.
