Free youth sports registration opens today

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Good morning !

With summer in full swing, we asked readers how they’re getting around town. In Calgary, cars still reign supreme — 70% of respondents said they prefer driving their own vehicle over using ride-shares, biking, walking, or taking public transit.

Concerns about safety and the limited availability of transit at night were common, with one reader even describing the CTrain as a “nightmare” during Stampede season.

👀 In today's edition:

• 17 people charged for break-and-enters

• Grey wolf on the loose in Kananaskis Country

• Lantern festival commemorates the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Get your story told! Promote your business, event, or restaurant in front of 34,000+ engaged locals! Contact our team today.

WORTH KNOWING

☀️ Today: High 23C, Low 11C. 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

Free youth sports registration opens today across Calgary

Registration for All Sport One Day, a free citywide sport initiative for youth, opens today at 6pm, with a kickoff event taking place at Southcentre Mall from 11am to 2pm. Hosted by Sport Calgary, the event gives families the chance to explore sport stations, speak with local sport representatives, and meet Olympic medallist and Sport Calgary Ambassador Kasia Gruchalla-Wesierski.

Now in its 17th year, All Sport One Day invites youth aged six to 17 to try new sports in a low-pressure, inclusive environment—no cost, equipment, or experience required. This summer’s edition runs Friday, Aug. 16 at over 20 locations across Calgary, with more than 200 sessions spanning 38 sports, including parkour, fencing, luge, and pickleball. Adaptive programming ensures accessibility for all participants.

“All Sport One Day shows what’s possible when a community rallies behind its young people,” said Catriona Le May Doan, president and CEO of Sport Calgary. The initiative aligns with the city’s Sport for Life policy by removing barriers to participation and promoting confidence, skill-building, and belonging through sport.

Need to know

🚔 Calgary police charged 17 people, including nine youth, with more than 100 offences connected to 45 break-and-enters across the city that occurred between August 2024 and June 2025, with the accused working together in a coordinated effort to target homeowners.

🔫 Rural Alberta residents in the Battle River-Crowfoot riding expressed frustration with federal gun policies ahead of the August byelection, calling the delayed firearms buyback program a "gong show."

🏗️ A pet supply store called Doodle Dogs permanently closed its Marda Loop location, blaming years of business disruption from the ongoing Main Street revitalization project that began in 2023 and was originally scheduled to finish in summer 2024 but has been extended to fall 2025.

🐺 Alberta Parks officials closely monitored a grey wolf in Kananaskis Country that was showing unusual behaviour by not retreating from humans and had become habituated to people, prompting conservation officers to use aversive conditioning techniques.

💔 A two-year-old girl died after being struck by a vehicle in an alley behind her home in northeast Calgary's Taradale community, with police ruling out alcohol as a factor in the tragic incident.

🚨 An 18-year-old Calgary man was charged with drug trafficking and assault with a weapon after allegedly pointing a gun at a gas station customer and being found with cocaine and crack cocaine during searches in both Calgary and Saskatoon.

💉 Community health representatives worked to address vaccine hesitancy within Alberta's Low German-speaking Mennonite community during a measles outbreak, seeing a 25 percent increase in demand for their interpretation and education services.

Marda Gras marks 40 years of music, food, and fun this Sunday

Marda Gras is turning 40, and Calgary’s longest-running street festival is ready to party this Sunday with its signature mix of live music, local eats, and community cheer. What started as a small neighbourhood event in the '80s has grown into a full-blown celebration of Marda Loop’s creative, quirky, and welcoming spirit.

This year’s festivities include four entertainment stages, over 200 local vendors, and the always-popular Pet Pageant — expect costumed cats, camera-ready pups, and plenty of oohs and awws, all in support of Parachutes for Pets. Kids get their own stage in the expanded Kids’ Quarter, along with crafts, games, and high-energy performers.

“There’s something special about how Marda Gras brings people together,” said festival manager Shannon McNally. Whether you’re dancing in the street, taste-testing your way through food trucks, or just soaking in the atmosphere, it’s a Sunday well spent.

Where to eat and drink

🍴 Hello BanhMi: Experience the delicious collision of East and West at this Crescent Heights spot where traditional Vietnamese bánh mì meets modern twists with bubble tea, kimbap, and tanghulu for comfort food that's fast, fresh, and full of heart.

🍴 Charcut: Discover Calgary's acclaimed market-driven restaurant where celebrated chefs blend Italian and Portuguese traditions with seasonal, artisanal ingredients to create authentic regional cuisine that's earned both local love and national recognition.

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

Things to do

🎟️ The Lantern Peace Festival: Join Calgary's powerful annual peace festival that honours the 80th anniversary of Hiroshima and Nagasaki through floating lanterns, international speech contests, film screenings, and meaningful dialogue with atomic bomb survivors to build a lasting culture of peace.

🎟️ Calgary Korean Day Festival: Immerse yourself in Calgary's largest celebration of Korean culture with over 50 performances, authentic food vendors, traditional martial arts demonstrations, K-pop competitions with a $5,000 prize pool, and hands-on activities including a thrilling Squid Game challenge with a $500 grand prize.

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

That’s it!

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