The Calgary Journal’s list of the hottest festivals and events happening this month
Beakerhead
Sept. 10-14
Venue: Throughout Calgary’s downtown core
Price: Free
Experience Calgary’s innovative and creative side as the 2nd annual Beakerhead returns to convert the city into one large laboratory over five days with hands-on activities and events. The event focuses on the unification of science and engineering through culture and art. Its wide assortment of activities include parades, installations, live experiments, workshops, pop-up structures, speaker series and more. For more information on the Beakerhead festivities, visit beakerhead.org
Calgary International Film Festival
Sept. 18-28
Venues: Globe Cinema, Cineplex Odeon Eau Claire Market & The Southern Jubilee Auditorium
Price: $15 – $35
Calgarians eagerly wait in line at the Calgary International Film Festival as they get a chance to take part in one of their many prestigious galas. The Calgary film festival attracts over 25,000 movie goers over the 11 days that it runs.
Photo courtesy of the Calgary International Film Festival. Calgary will be rolling out the red carpet to welcome actors and directors from across the globe and across Canada to showcase their works on the big screen at the Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF). The festival features 40 films from around the world, 200 multi-genre films from across Canada and an assortment of prestigious galas that will premiere highly anticipated films like: The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet, Teen Lust, Ally Was Screaming and Just Eat It: A Food Waste Story. For more information on CIFF and how to get tickets, visit calgaryfilm.com
Tuscany Harvest Festival
Sept. 20
Venue: Community of Tuscany
Price: Free
Celebrate the upcoming autumn season by attending the Tuscany Harvest Festival, hosted by the Tuscany Community Association. The festival aims to help those who are less fortune and it encourages attendees to donate a food item to Calgary’s Food Bank. The Tuscany Harvest Festival features entertainment a lawn chair theatre, food trucks, face painting, music, magicians, games and more. For more information on the Tuscany Harvest Festival, visit tuscanyca.wordpress.com
Nuit Blanche: Night Time Arts Festival
Sept. 20
Venues: Olympic Plaza and Municipal Plaza
Price: Free
Experience Calgary’s intriguing and innovative art scene after dark by checking out city’s take on
Catlin Brown’s and Wayne Garrett’s cloud making from 6,000 light bulbs was a highlight of Calgary’s first Nuit Blanche Night Arts Festival in 2012.
Photo by Quinton Amundson the internationally recognized Nuit Blanche Night Time Arts Festival. The festivities take place from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. The event transforms Olympic Plaza and the city hall Plaza two of the city’s prominent gathering places, into a contemporary full-scale art gallery for eight-hour arts festival. Nuit Blanche Friday features 10 performance art events, art installations, impromptu workshops, talks, seminars, one-off projects and more. For more information on Nuit Blanche Calgary, visit nuitblachecalgary.ca
Calgary International Flamenco Festival
Sept. 20-27
Venues: Webber Academy Performing Arts Centre and Ironwood Stage & Grill
Price: $22 – $80.00 plus service fee
Get ready to experience the passion, excitement and intriguing flair of flamenco dance, 
A flamenco dancer shows off her passion and talent at the 2013 Calgary International Flamenco Festival. The festival also features a variety of flamenco artists that come from Alberta and from around the world.
Photo courtesy of the Calgary International Flamenco Festival/Facebook
choreography and music at this weeklong event held at Calgary’s Webber Academy Performing Arts Centre and Ironwood Stage & Grill. The event showcases the talent of Albertan, Canadian and Spanish flamenco artists and others from around the globe. The festival features two major concerts, workshops focusing on flamenco song, dance and guitar as well as a major flamenco showcase that features Alberta artists. For more information on the Calgary International Flamenco Festival, visit calgaryflamencofestival.com
YYComedy Fest
Sept. 29-Oct. 4
Venues: Loose Moose Theatre, Broken City, The Plaza Theatre, Comedy Cave and more
Price: $15 – $25
Comedy returns to the forefront in Calgary as the third annual YYComedy Festival returns to various locations in the city, aiming to make Calgarians LOL. The event showcases 41 comedians from across Canada and around the world. Some of the big names that will be headlining the festival are Harland Williams of Dumb and Dumber, Darrin Rose of Much Music’s Video on Trial and Jessica Holmes, who has opened up for comedians like Ellen DeGeneres and Jerry Seinfeld. The festival also features an amazingly funny YYComedy Gala as well as the Calgary Stand-Up All Stars show. For more information on YYComedy Fest and how to get tickets, visit yycomedy.ca