Top Things To Do In Calgary, Alberta

Calgary sits in the foothills of Canada’s Rocky Mountains, where the Bow and Elbow rivers meet. It is the major urban center for the entire southern half of the province of Alberta and is surrounded by an area of profound beauty with an unspoiled, resource-rich natural environment. Calgary has been ranked the 5th most liveable city in the world by The Economist Intelligence Unit from 2009-2017. In 2018, Calgary rose to become the 4th most liveable city in the world.

The weather is turning, and Spring in Calgary transforms the entire area into one of the most beautiful backdrops in all of Canada. The city of Calgary sits in the sunny eastern foothills of Canada’s Rocky Mountains, where the Bow and Elbow rivers meet. It is the major urban center for the entire southern half of the province of Alberta and is surrounded by an area of profound beauty with an unspoiled, resource-rich natural environment.

The rapid growth of Calgary is largely thanks to its status as the center of Canada’s oil industry, but the city is much more than that. It’s a dining destination, an arts hot spot, a nature-lovers dream, and as evidenced in its nickname, Cowtown, is steeped in Western culture (thanks in large to the Calgary Stampede – a massive rodeo that takes place in July). No matter what brings you to Cowtown, there’s sure to be something for everyone. Here are just a few suggestions of what to do when you visit Calgary – including a visit to the Backyard Axe Throwing League.

Go Axe Throwing At BATL, The Backyard Axe Throwing League

Almost 5 years ago the Backyard Axe Throwing League Calgary opened up shop in the North East and has been bringing the urban sport of axe throwing to not just Airdrie, Chestermere, Calgary, and the surrounding area but with guests coming from all over Alberta and Western Canada. Located near Sunridge Mall at Deerfoot Trail and 16th Ave. NE, BATL Calgary offers the best indoor axe throwing experience – pioneered by us at the Backyard Axe Throwing League back in 2006.

You can visit BATL Calgary for our public walk-in axe throwing (BATL Casual) each weekend, or book your own private axe-throwing event (BATL Premium). We’re capable of hosting groups anywhere from 2-150, and each private event booking includes one on one guidance from our resident axe gurus (they’ll have you sticking bullseyes in no time) before launching you into a round-robin tournament followed by a single-elimination playoff. BATL Premium events run 1.5 hours and are guaranteed to be a time to remember. BATL Calgary also has a fully licensed bar and kitchen for you and your guests to nibble on artisanal cuisine and quench your thirst on our local beer, wine, and cooler offerings.

If you live in Calgary and you’re looking for more axe throwing you can join BATL’s axe-throwing weekly league! With no experience necessary you’ll compete individually while receiving tips from our friendly coaches – and plenty of time to hang out between throwing. Our BATL Calgary axe throwing leagues run for 8 weeks, completely under the guidance of our resident axe gurus. Each season consists of round-robin style tournament play, where you’ll throw 28 games against other people in the league, culminating in a top 16 double elimination playoff on week 8. Our leagues are suitable for people of all skill levels, with staff on hand at all times ready to give you tips and tricks to make sure that you’re hitting the bullseye.

Go Buck Wild At The Calgary Stampede

The 108th-annual Calgary Stampede takes place across the entire city this year from July 3 – 12th, and you can already feel the town starting to buzz. Billed as “The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth” for a reason, the Calgary Stampede is not just midways and rodeos – but a 10-day celebration of all things Alberta, including live performances in the past by musical acts like Blue Rodeo, Tim McGraw, Dwayne Gretzky, and The Sam Roberts Band

Festivities are stationed at Stampede Park in the heart of downtown, making it easily accessible for anyone. Highlights this year include the Calgary Stampede Parade, Stampede Breakfast, the Thrill Zone, the Indian Oasis, band competitions, and much more. A must-see festival for all visitors to Calgary and the surrounding area (Airdrie, Chestermere, Banff, Black Diamond, Canmore, Cochrane, Irricana, Nanton, Okotoks, Strathmore, and Turner Valley) – a trip to the Calgary Stampede is essential when visiting.

Go Art Hopping Around Calgary

While it might not ring as a world-class art city, Calgary is on the up and coming. Art galleries (both private and public) are popping up all over the city, and making an entire day out of looking at art in Calgary is easier than ever before. Your best bets are checking out TRUCK Contemporary Art in the Beltline area, the Esker Foundation in Inglewood, the Wallace Galleries in the Eau Claire area, and the Contemporary Gallery in East Village.

Sample Calgary’s Food Scene

The fine-dining scene in Calgary has exploded over the past 5 years, and now is the perfect time to explore everything it has to offer. Chris Lorenz, the man behind the menu in the kitchen for the Backyard Axe Throwing League (BATL Calgary), recently joined the team at Diner Deluxe offering refined fair at Aspen Landing in the Southwest of Calgary. If you’re looking for something a little more casual, head on down to 17th Ave SW and visit Tubby Dog for gourmet hot dogs, cold beer, and retro arcade games. In the Northeast, head down to Barlow Trail and 32nd Ave NE for an array of multicultural food options. If you’re looking for fine dining with the best view in the city, head downtown and check out Sky 360 – a restaurant at the top of the Calgary Tower.

Go Art Hopping Around Calgary

While it might not come to mind when speaking of world-class art cities, Calgary is up and coming. Art galleries (both private and public) are popping up all over the city, and making an entire day out of looking at art in Calgary is easier than ever before. Your best bets are checking out TRUCK Contemporary Art in the Beltline area, the Esker Foundation in Inglewood, the Wallace Galleries in the Eau Claire area, and the Contemporary Gallery in East Village.

Take In A Sporting Event

It’s no secret that many Calgary residents are extremely passionate about their sports teams, which makes for an unforgettable atmosphere when seeing a game live. Teams like the Calgary Flames of the NHL, the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL, the Calgary Stampeders of the CHL, and the Calgary Hitmen of the NLL provide huge entertainment for a great value. Gather your friends and take in a game while cheering on the home team.

BATL: Zoom Backgrounds

Looking to teleport to #BATL in your next zoom meeting? We've got you covered.

Learn More

General

Axe Throwing 101: A History

Since BATL began its expansion, you can find axe throwing venues popping up all over the world - but only BATL can lay claim to inventing the sport of urban axe throwing.

Learn More

General

Premium Events At BATL

At a time when most of us are stuck indoors practising social distancing, there is nothing wrong with getting excited about getting back to life as we knew it. And if you're thinking about the best way to gather your co-workers, friends, or family in the future, BATL Premium private event bookings will be sure to tick off all of your boxes.

Learn More

General

COVID-19 Response

Everyone’s health is our top priority. We encourage the BATL family to practice these precautions. We look forward to re-opening and seeing you all again as soon as possible.

Learn More

Blog Post

BATL Ranked As Top Unusual Activity In Nashville

Web bloggers Wanderlust Girls recently visited the TV Show Today In Nashville to list their favourite unusual activities in the city, and as usual a trip to The Backyard Axe Throwing League was one of the first things they mentioned. You can watch the segment here.

Learn More

General

BATL Staff Sunday With Blake

Meet Blake, a coach from #BATL Chicago. Blake is originally from Rhode Island but moved to Chicago in 2009 - and when he heard that we were opening a new venue in the Windy City, he knew it’s something he had to be a part of. Outside of work he's a nerd of all trades and puts his pop culture, TV, and movie expertise to good use writing for a few nerdy websites.

Learn More

General

BATL In Austin, Texas

Austin has long been known as a hotbed of arts and culture. More recently the food scene has been making Austin world known, and it's also become a major hub for technology, startups, and innovation. All it was missing was BATL.

Learn More

General

Celebrity Visits At The Backyard Axe Throwing League

The Backyard Axe Throwing League pioneered the sport of urban axe throwing in a Toronto backyard in 2007 - 11 years ago. Since then we've grown 13 BATL venues across North America. Word spread like wildfire about the fun and satisfaction experienced when throwing an axe into our targets, and BATL has a strong reputation as the original and best home of axe throwing. We've hosted thousands of guests over the years, resulting in millions of axes thrown within our venue. As such, it's no surprise that BATL has played host to countless celebrity visits over the past years. The list is as varied as it gets, playing host to athletes, TV stars, movie stars, musicians, taste makers, bloggers, writers - the list goes on. Celebrities have visited both for filming (using our creatively designed industrial spaces as an epic backdrop) and to unwind by taking part in our private group bookings.

Learn More

General

BATL Scottsdale Is Licensed!

Learn More

General

BATL Featured In Narcity Best Of Ottawa

Our nation's capital is a city with a lot to offer, so web blog Narcity compiled a list to help you make the most of the city - and naturally listed the Backyard Axe Throwing League Ottawa as a must-visit destination. From the splashes of salt on our jeans to the annoyance of putting on a jacket, there is no better way to unleash it than by throwing axes at BATL.

Learn More

Top Things To Do In Calgary, Alberta

Go Axe Throwing At BATL, The Backyard Axe Throwing League

Go Buck Wild At The Calgary Stampede

Go Art Hopping Around Calgary

Sample Calgary’s Food Scene

Go Art Hopping Around Calgary

Take In A Sporting Event

Related Articles.

Share your email and we’ll share the goods.