Marda Gras is a free street festival that takes over four blocks of 33rd Avenue SW in Marda Loop every August. It is Calgary’s oldest running street festival, drawing around 40,000 people for live music, food, and a pet pageant.
About
Marda Gras shuts down four blocks of 33rd Avenue SW between 18th and 22nd Street for a full day of neighbourhood fun. The lineup usually includes a pet pageant, live music on outdoor stages, cultural dance performances, kids activities, local shopping, and food from area vendors.
The festival has been a Marda Loop tradition since 1985 and is billed as Calgary’s longest-running street festival. It is organized by the Marda Loop Business Improvement Area, the nonprofit that represents more than 200 local businesses. The BIA’s own 2026 sponsorship package calls that year’s edition the 41st annual, which suggests one year was skipped somewhere along the way.