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If you're looking to treat yourself to a night out this weekend, we've got you covered. Six Calgary bars made it onto Canada's 100 Best Bars list this year, and two of them are featured in our restaurant spotlight below. And if you're still figuring out Mother's Day plans, we've got a couple of ideas for that too.

P.S. I'm taking a little time off to spend some extra time with my own mum, so we'll be back in your inbox next Thursday!

👀 In today's edition:

Get your story told! Promote your business, event, or restaurant in front of 30,000+ engaged locals! Contact our team today.

🌤️ Today: High 20C, Low 7C. See the 7-day forecast.

🚗 Driving today? Check the current traffic situation, and find the city’s traffic report and road closures.

⚠️ Here’s the current smoke forecast / check Calgary wildfire and fire restrictions and the Alberta Wildfire Dashboard.

QUICK POLL

Albertans looking for mental health and addiction support now have one number to call: 211.

The province has made 211 Alberta the main access point for mental health and addiction services, replacing a fragmented system that previously required people to navigate multiple phone numbers and entry points — a particular challenge for those reaching out during difficult moments.

The 211 service has been around in Alberta since 2004, when it launched in Edmonton, expanding provincewide and becoming 211 Alberta in 2020. At its core, it's designed to be a trusted, go-to number for anyone — or anyone helping a friend, family member, or neighbour — who needs to find the right community resource quickly.

Through 211, callers are connected with trained community navigators who can link them to clinical services, peer support, crisis support, and affordable professional counselling through Counselling Alberta. The service also connects people to a broad range of community resources, including housing, employment, financial assistance, and food support, as well as specialized services for children and youth, families, and Indigenous communities.

The service is delivered in partnership by three organizations: United Way of the Alberta Capital Region, the Canadian Mental Health Association Edmonton Region, which handles contacts from northern Alberta, and Distress Centre Calgary, which covers the central and southern regions of the province. In 2025, 211 Alberta responded to more than 121,000 interactions.

The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in more than 240 languages, and is free and confidential. Albertans can call or text 211, or chat online at ab.211.ca. Existing mental health and addiction phone lines remain operational, and 988 continues to provide dedicated suicide crisis support.

For broader health information and advice, Albertans can also call Health Link at 811, a free 24/7 telephone service providing clinical services including nurse triage, health advice, and system navigation. Health Link covers a wide range of services, from symptom assessment and virtual physician referrals to addiction and mental health triage, dementia advice, and tobacco cessation support through AlbertaQuits.

⚖️ Stay Free Alberta has submitted nearly 302,000 signatures to Elections Alberta in a bid to rigger a separation referendum. A First Nations court challenge is expected to be ruled on this week.

🏙️ Some Calgary city councillors are pushing for a standalone fire services committee, arguing the Calgary Fire Department is being slowed down by bureaucratic layers. The department responded to more than 92,000 emergency incidents in 2025.

⚖️ The Calgary father charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of his three and five-year-old children made his first court appearance Monday and will remain in custody.

🚨 An Alberta man has been charged with second-degree murder after two people were found dead in a Langley, B.C., home on April 27. He is set to appear in court on May 11.

🚗 Calgary has launched an upgraded Plan Your Trip tool offering real-time traffic information including construction, closures, and live camera feeds.

💧 Calgary city council is debating proposed compensation for a new Water Utility Oversight Board, with the chair set to receive $70,000 annually and members $30,000.

🧑‍🍳 Tasty, Low Salt Cooking (Meal Ideas) May 20 - Learn how to cook delicious meals with less salt (Free ONLINE class from Registered Dieticians).

🏡 Lighter weekends. Lighter house. Lighter mind. These free starter guides help homeowners discover what their downsizing life could look like.

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Summer is almost here, and 17th Avenue is ready for it. The Business District has a rotating lineup of free live music, night markets, and outdoor experiences planned from May through September along the avenue and in Tomkins Park.

The season kicks off on May 17 with the first installment of 17 on 17 — free sidewalk concerts happening simultaneously at five locations along the corridor. The series continues on the 17th of each month through September.

Night markets pop up throughout the summer, with MarketSpot hosting local vendors in Tomkins Park once a month. A Honky Tonk Night Market in late June serves as a warm-up for Stampede season, while 17th Ave Night Markets in July and August take over the lawn at Western Canada High School.

Rounding out the season, Cinema on 17th returns September 11-13 with three nights of outdoor movies in Tomkins Park, featuring live performances alongside the screenings.

Everything is free.

🍴 Missy's This That: Ranked 13th on Canada's 100 Best Bars list, Missy's This That is a no-frills wine bar above a convenience store on 14th Avenue SW, with a list of more than 350 bottles and 15 precisely mixed house cocktails. Owner Thomas Dahlgren picks daily pours by the glass.

🍴 Shelter Cocktail Bar: Ranked 45th on Canada's 100 Best Bars list, Shelter draws inspiration from Eastern Europe's grunge movement, with a cocktail menu built around scent pairings and aromatic flourishes. Food comes from Knotted's Richard McLaren, with jerk chicken bao buns and rice-and-peas arancini rounding things out.

Have a food or drink suggestion? Message us and we might share it!

🎟️ 4th Annual Mother's Day Extravaganza: The Bowness Community Association is hosting a free Mother's Day weekend market on May 9 and 10, with 75 local vendors, food trucks, face painting, crafting workshops, and miniature horses and baby goats. Free admission, free parking, and free loot bags for the first 100 moms each day.

🎟️ Matriarch Art Market: A Mother's Day weekend art market takes place at The Confluence on May 9 and 10, celebrating the matriarchs in your life with local artists and makers. Tickets are $6.99.

Have an event suggestion? Message us and we might share it!

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And before you go, we’d love to know…

We’ll see you back here on Tuesdays and Thursdays, same time, same place!