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Ten days of cowboy hats and chuckwagons might be over, but Calgary's summer social calendar is just getting started. This weekend alone brings a double dose of culture to the city — Latin American music and food at Fiestaval, and Japanese drumming, dance, and street eats at Omatsuri's 15th anniversary celebration. Throw in a citywide ice cream competition and kids running their own lemonade stands, and it's shaping up to be a pretty sweet week to be a Calgarian.

👀 In today's edition:

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⛅️ Today: High 25C, Low 16C. See the 7-day forecast.

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Meta has announced plans to build its first Canadian data centre in Sturgeon County, Alberta, representing an investment of more than $13 billion — one of the largest private-sector investments in Canadian history. The project is expected to create more than 3,000 construction jobs, support 300 operational positions, and generate approximately $250 million annually in benefits for Albertans through royalties, taxes, levies, and fees.

The data centre will be located within Alberta's Industrial Heartland and will operate under the province's "bring your own power" approach, combining grid-connected electricity with new on-site natural gas generation. Meta's Sturgeon Data Centre will use a closed-loop, liquid-cooled system with dry cooling that requires no operational water use, with water use limited to domestic purposes, fire protection, and equipment maintenance.

"Sturgeon County is the perfect home for Meta for several reasons, including its strong access to infrastructure and energy, talented workforce, and outstanding community partners," said Gary Demasi, vice-president of data centre strategy and development at Meta.

Alberta has framed the announcement as a direct result of the regulatory environment it built before opening the door to AI investment — requiring large data centres to bring their own power, fund supporting infrastructure, and meet strict environmental requirements. In addition to the Meta investment, a $4.6 billion natural gas generation facility announced by Pembina Pipeline Corporation, Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners, and Kineticor is expected to reduce transmission costs on Albertans' electricity bills by up to six per cent.

The following day, the Alberta government revealed a separate $50 million investment over five years in the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute, or Amii — one of Canada's three national AI institutes and a global centre for research in reinforcement learning. The funding, spread across five provincial ministries, is designed to accelerate AI adoption across public services and industry, support startups, and build AI literacy across the province's workforce.

"This investment enables Amii to strengthen the foundations of Alberta's AI ecosystem by supporting startups, accelerating AI adoption across industry and the public sector, and building the AI literacy needed to prepare the workforce of the future," said Cam Linke, CEO of Amii.

Alberta has invested approximately $100 million in Amii since 2002. The institute sustains more than 500 active researchers and counts Richard Sutton — co-recipient of the 2024 Turing Award, often called the Nobel Prize of computing — as its chief scientific adviser.

🚂 Several train cars derailed and partially submerged in water near the Stoney Trail and Macleod Trail interchange in southwest Calgary on Monday morning. No injuries have been reported.

🤠 The 2026 Calgary Stampede wrapped up Sunday with more than 1.4 million attendees — potentially the third-most attended in the event's history. A horse was seriously injured in a chuckwagon collision, renewing animal welfare concerns.

🚇 Three-quarters of CTrain riders say they feel safe at LRT stations, according to a new survey tied to the city's $9 million Visible Security Pilot. Transit advocates say peace officers help but aren't a long-term solution to the root causes of disorder.

🚔 A man died in police custody during an arrest following an alleged break-and-enter in the southeast Calgary community of Abbeydale on Saturday. ASIRT is investigating.

📷 A Calgary landlord has been charged with voyeurism after hidden cameras were found in the bedrooms and bathrooms of multiple rental properties. Police believe he may also operate properties in Vancouver and Toronto.

💔 A six-year-old girl died after drowning in a pond in the southeast Calgary community of Legacy on Sunday afternoon.

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Stampede may be over, but Calgary's summer festival calendar is far from done. This weekend, two major cultural celebrations are taking over the city — and between them, there's something for just about everyone.

Fiestaval Latino Festival returns to Eau Claire Plaza for three days of Latin American culture, music, and food from July 17 to 19. More than 30 authentic food vendors, an artisan market, a kids area, and a beer garden fill the plaza, with hundreds of performers taking the stage throughout the weekend. Friday's lineup alone includes Juno Award-winning guitarist Oscar Lopez, an eight-piece bachata band from the Dominican Republic, and salsa showcases running into the night. Admission is free.

Running concurrently, Omatsuri — the Calgary Japanese Festival — is celebrating its 15th anniversary at Max Bell Centre on July 17 and 18. The festival offers a full day of Taiko drumming, traditional Japanese dance, martial arts demonstrations, authentic street food, and a sake and craft beer garden. This year's milestone edition promises to be the most immersive yet, according to organizers. Tickets start at $10 for seniors, $17.50 general admission, with children 12 and under free.

🍴 Rocky Dessert Market: A cozy downtown café on 5 Ave SW specializing in high-quality, low-sugar desserts — think Basque cheesecake, blueberry crumble, and banana pudding — alongside good coffee. A solid spot for an afternoon treat.

🍴 Wafflato: Born in Jasper and rebuilt in Calgary's Beltline after the 2024 wildfire, Wafflato brings mountain hospitality to an all-day café and lounge on 11th Ave. Expect Belgian waffles and Fratello coffee in the morning, Alberta-inspired lunch, and a full cocktail bar come evening.

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

🎟️ Lemonade Day Calgary: Kids ages 5–13 set up lemonade stands across Calgary on July 18, learning business basics like budgeting, marketing, and managing profits. Free to participate.

🎟️ YYC Ice Cream Fest: Calgary cafés, restaurants, and creameries compete for the city's best scoop title from July 17 to August 16, with $1–2 from every treat sold going to Calgary Meals on Wheels.

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

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