You can watch a movie under the stars and sing karaoke at this Calgary festival

Franco Festival Calgary is taking over the city this weekend with a celebration of Francophone culture. And if “bonjour” is the extent of your French vocabulary, don’t worry, you’re still invited. The two-day festival brings people together, with a lineup that highlights the many communities, traditions, and stories that make up Calgary’s Francophone community.

Now that you know what the festival is all about, let’s take a look at what you can expect to see when you get there.

What to expect at the Franco Festival

What is the Franco Festival?

Franco Festival Calgary is a multicultural Francophone festival that celebrates the diversity of Francophone communities through music, dance, food, crafts and cultural programming.

According to organizers, the festival was created in 2011 as an initiative of the Portail de l’Immigrant Association, a Calgary-based nonprofit organization. The festival aims not only to celebrate French-language artists and cultures, but also to bring different cultures together to share their traditions.

The festival is also part of Calgary Culture Days, a city-wide celebration that takes place throughout September and gives Calgarians a chance to experience arts, culture and community through events happening across the city.

What can I do while I’m there?

According to organizers, the festival starts on Friday with a family competition at 5:30 p.m. where families can take on a series of fun challenges together. It’s a casual way to kick off the festival and meet everyone involved.

Then, at 7:30 p.m., you can settle in for an outdoor movie. The movie hasn’t been announced yet, but the first 100 people who register and attend will get free popcorn.

Saturday is packed with even more to explore. The Cultural Village will showcase arts, crafts, and traditions from communities like Burundi, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Haiti, Morocco, and more.

The festival will also have live music and performances throughout the day, with artists playing everything from funk and pop to rock, soukous, jazz and blues. And if watching from the crowd isn’t enough, Radio-Canada karaoke will have 150 Francophone and Indigenous songs to choose from, so you can put your own singing skills to the test.

And if you work up an appetite while exploring the festival, a huge lineup of on-site food vendors will serve a variety of dishes and flavours.

Do I need to speak French in order to attend the festival?

Don’t worry, you don’t need to know French in order to attend the festival. While French is at the heart of the event, the festival welcomes people from all language backgrounds and gives everyone a chance to learn more about the culture.

So whether you’re fluent, know a few basic phrases, or have never spoken French before, you can join in and enjoy the experience.

When is the Franco Festival?

The Franco Festival is happening this weekend, on Friday, Sept. 11 and Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026.

Friday’s programming includes an outdoor movie night, while Saturday is the main festival day with cultural programming and activities.

According to the organizers, the Friday evening festivities will start at 5 p.m., with the family competitions kicking off at 5:30 p.m., followed by the outdoor movie at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, the festival will run all day from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Where is the Franco Festival?

The festival is taking place outdoors at Cowboys Park in downtown Calgary. The park serves as a year-round event space for festivals, markets, concerts, and other community events.

Is the festival free to attend?

The Franco Festival is completely free to attend, so you can drop by anytime without worrying about an admission fee. Registration is required for Friday night’s events, including the family competition and outdoor movie night.

Where should I park?

If you’re driving to the Franco Festival, there are several paid parking lots around Cowboys Park where you can leave your car. Parking is limited around the festival site, so arrive early if you want to find a spot nearby.

You can also take the CTrain instead if you’re looking to avoid the traffic, with the Downtown West-Kerby Station located just steps from Cowboys Park.

When: Friday, Sept. 11 to Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026
Time: Friday: 5 p.m.; Saturday: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Where: Cowboys Park – 1220 9th Ave. SW, Calgary, Alta.
Cost: Free

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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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