Over the summer, I made a goal to hit as many festivals and events downtown as possible. Some, I was able to volunteer at (Reggaefest, Fiestaval, or Opera in the Village, anyone?) and others, such as Canada Day and the Lilac Fest, I spent the day as a patron instead. One that really stood out to me as not getting nearly the amount of attention it deserves is Taste of Calgary– so while I was there last Friday with Arts & Culture Editor Hui Wen and a few other friends, I brought my camera along. Here were some of the day’s highlights!
Located at the colourful Eau Claire Festival Plaza, this event has a vibrant riverside backdrop that is a perfect location for soaking up the summer sun. We arrived right when it started at 11am, but by noon the crowds began to file in. Friday afternoon seemed to be the ideal time for people to stop by and kick off their weekend after a short day of work. I recommend arriving as early as possible to avoid ridiculous waits in lines.
Admission to this event is free, but food-redeemable tickets are sold at the entrance for a dollar each. Unlike the devious consumerist nature of some other events (cough cough Stampede), there wasn’t a single food item that cost more than 4 or 5 tickets, so you can try a wide variety of foods without breaking the bank. The chow mein pictured above was only 2 tickets!
I’m going to be honest here: if you’re looking for the finest selection of authentic ethnic foods that Calgary has to offer, maybe Taste of Calgary isn’t the place for you. Fried foods, for example, are in abundance; pictured above is Quebec-style poutine, deep-fried avocado with chipotle sauce, and butter chicken poutine. Instead of sticking to strictly traditional tastes, Taste of Calgary embraces its festival role. Worldly flavours are combined with street food classics in creative and crowd-pleasing ways, and if you’re looking for an unconventional meal when the festival rolls around again next year, I couldn’t recommend it highly enough.
All images used are my own
Thanks for the great article. See you next year.