Welcome back to the Calgary Group Chat, where we keep tabs on the city so you can stay in the loop without doing all the digging yourself. This week, we’ve got some plans to put on your radar, a few new additions to the city and a couple of local stories that are just too good not to share.
Without further ado, let’s jump right in.
What’s new, Calgary?
Calgary Pride Week is changing things up this year with a new format
Calgary Pride Week is almost here, and things are looking a little different this year. Instead of being centred around one festival site. Pride is spreading across Calgary from Aug. 31 to Sept. 6, 2026, with events, performances, community gatherings and more happening at different venues. The new format is organized into seven “Threads,” each highlighting a different part of Calgary’s 2SLGBTQIA+, from nightlife and performances to Two-Spirit arts, all-ages events, queer markets and, of course, the Pride Parade.
Want the full scoop on Calgary Pride Week? We’ve rounded up all the events and details you need to know in our full guide, so you can start planning your week.
The Rogers Charity Classic is taking over Calgary this weekend
The Rogers Charity Classic is returning to Calgary this weekend, and some big names in golf are coming along for the ride. The tournament runs from Aug. 21 to 23 at Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club, with some big names teeing it up, including Zach Johnson, Steve Alker, Vijay Singh and Calgary’s own Mike Weir.
There’s also a new Blue Jays-themed experience at the 16th hole, complete with ballpark-style snacks, music, player walk-up songs and appearances from the Blue Jays alumni. And for every birdie scored on the par-3 hole 16 throughout the tournament, $1000 will be donated to the Jays Care Foundation.
A grizzly bear cub at the Calgary Zoo went on an unauthorized field trip
Fitz, a one-year-old grizzly bear cub at the Calgary Zoo, apparently woke up on Sunday morning and decided he needed a change of scenery. The little escape artist managed to scale the roughly three-metre fence around his enclosure before the zoo opened, giving staff a bit of a morning surprise.
Luckily, Fitz didn’t get far before being brought back to a behind-the-scenes area, and no guests, staff or volunteers were injured. The zoo is now looking into how he pulled off this great escape.
Your living room might be due for a glow-up, and there’s a new spot in Calgary to help
There’s a new place in Calgary dedicated to one of life’s mos most important purchases: the couch. Vancouver-based furniture brand CouchHaus has opened a new showroom in the Beltline, where you can customize your sofa from the configuration and cushion firmness to the armrest and back styles.
You can also choose from nearly 300 fabrics, including velvet, linen, and chenille. If you’re looking to check it out, the showroom is open daily at 102-628 11th Ave. SW, Calgary, Alta.
Calgary’s iconic Thunder Run waterslide is getting a very iconic farewell
If you grew up in northeast Calgary, there’s a good chance the Thunder Run was a big part of your childhood. The six-storey waterslide at Village Square Leisure Centre has been sending people flying since 1994, and now that it’s being replaced, Calgary actor Andrew Phung decided it deserved a proper goodbye.
Phung, who played Kimchee on Kim’s Convenience, has been reminiscing on social media about spending his childhood at the leisure centre and even created an Instagram video encouraging the City to give the slide the send-off it deserves.
And, the City of Calgary listened. Village Square is now hosting a ’90s-themed farewell party on Aug. 30, so you can get one last ride down the Thunder Run before it disappears.
And that’s all from us this week. Hopefully we gave you a few things to add to your calendar, a little Calgary lore you didn’t know, and maybe even an excuse to go couch shopping.
We’ll be back next week with more Calgary intel. Until then, enjoy the city!
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Kaiya Williams
Kaiya is a Calgary-based writer and content creator with a background in marketing and digital storytelling. She has a passion for community-driven stories and covering local experiences that connect people.
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