Illuminating Calgary's Nightlife
Calgary's Nightlife Definitely Includes Plenty of Varieties of Beer1
It's Saturday night and Calgary is hardly sleeping. The sun dips below the skyscrapers and the moon glistens high above the Calgary Tower. People are dancing through the streets, live music trumpets somewhere in the distance and all the kegs are tapped, awaiting their first pour of the evening.

Calgary is arguably the hub and mecca of culture in Alberta, Canada. Accordingly, the city's nightlife usually rages with utter veracity. Calgarians love to party. Whether people like to groove to the thunderous boom of electronica, rock out to adrenaline-pumping metal, sway to the delicious stylings of dub and reggae, or whether they just need an evening away from home, Calgary's nightlife can accommodate the weekday workers and weekend warriors whatever their tastes demand.

Calgary's entertainment scene is geographically spread far and wide across the city. However, there are particular areas that are notorious hot-spots for nightly meanderings. These include the downtown core, 17th Avenue, Kensington, South Calgary and the east side. 11th Avenue, once known as Electric Avenue, used to host some of the most exciting venues in the city before it was re-zoned. New establishments are beginning to develop along the boulevard and it's possible that this will once again become a popular night-spot.

Calgary is a sizable city and if one doesn't know where to begin, the choice can be overwhelming. In an effort to get visitors and locals alike to go out and enjoy a night on the town, WorldWeb.com offers the following helpful information regarding Calgary's nightlife. Listings for all of the following businesses have map tabs to aid in finding their precise location.

THE DOWNTOWN CORE:

Downtown has been one of Calgary's premier destinations for club goers for dozens of years. It sits just north of 17th Avenue SW in the city centre and extends to the Bow River. From east to west, it rests between 14th Street SW and Fifth Street SE and includes Stephen Avenue, which is also a major shopping district. Downtown is home to a majority of Calgary's theatres and the Eau Claire market. Plenty of accommodations can also be found downtown close to all amenities.

Amidst enormous skyscrapers-urban mountains of concrete and steel-and close to the city centre C-Train line and transit, downtown has always been a host to some of Calgary's best venues. Here, visitors will find establishments of all sorts: seedy brewpubs, authentic European public houses, upscale lounges, a wide variety of worldly restaurants and a plethora of Calgary's trendier nightclubs. Line-ups at downtown clubs can get fairly brutal though. One might consider going out earlier to avoid getting stuck outside.
The Drum and Monkey, located downtown on First Street SW, is one of the most popular nightspots in town for youthful Calgarians. The building was designed to resemble an old-school British public house. During the afternoon, sporting events glimmer on their six televisions and sophisticated rubes sit and chat at booths and stools over alternative/indie tunes selected by the bartenders. At night though, the "Drum" goes through a complete metamorphosis. Local hipsters flock to the flow, the PA system gets utterly amped, vibrant lighting is set up, DJs break out the vinyl and decks, and drinks cascade like the Elbow River.

The Drum is also connected to the Bamboo Tiki Lounge. Bamboo opens its doors during the evenings and is only accessible through the Drum. Here in this red-lit Polynesian-style lounge, patrons have the opportunity to rip it up on the somewhat small dance floor.

The Warehouse is another club in the downtown core that has built for itself a large and loyal following. Patrons enter this venue via the alley behind the building. After gaining access, they are then led up a dark stairwell into the dilapidated club above. It's no surprise, however, that the Warehouse is in slightly rough shape-for over 20 years, it has been Calgary's main source of live underground music. They also host the two most popular after-hours parties in the city on Friday and Saturday nights. Live bands have been known to occasionally play, but mainly the Warehouse features local and international DJ talent to get the party going with the sounds of progressive house, breaks, jungle, trance and other electronic tracks. The crowd at the Warehouse is largely comprised of youthful Calgarians involved in the local punk, metal or rave scene.

Bottlescrew Bill's Old English Pub is situated in the downtown core at the intersection of First Street and 10th Avenue SW. Its decor is an imaginative blend of a classic Euro-pub and a Western prairie saloon. Wooden cutout cowboys, large tin spittoons on the patio and a polished wooden bar inside set the stage for some serious beer drinking. At last count, they had over 200 different brands of beer-more than any other bar in the city. Also, they have over 60 different styles of single malt scotch. During the lunch hour, nearby business folk hang out to grab a bite and catch up on European soccer, which plays on their big-screen, flat-panel television. During weekends, a younger crowd arrives for a few pints and the bartender cranks up the wattage on the stereo system to get patrons swinging.

Bottlescrew Bill's is home to the famous Around the World in 80 Beers Passport. Every time a new beer is sampled by a customer their beer passport will receive an official stamp from the bartender signifying that the patron is just that much closer to tasting each variety of Bottlescrew's enormous medley of beers.

Other notable downtown hot-spots include the Hop In Brew, James Joyce, and a great pub-style restaurant called the Unicorn. Live music plays down at Ceili's, one of the few places that gets packed on Monday nights. For a more intimate nightly outing, there is Brewster's and The Keg, who both serve an astounding grilled steak. Then there is the Bear and Kilt, a dimly lit basement pub that serves extremely popular pub-style cuisine.

The dance clubs in Calgary are mostly located in the downtown core. Near to 11th Avenue SW is the HiFi-a modern and popular club where electronica booms almost every night. International DJs are often brought to HiFi to amp up the energy.

Downtown is also home to Tantra, Broken City and the Static Ultralounge.

Martini Bars
Vicious Circle has been around for ages. Located in the downtown core along First Street SW, this place is a martini paradise. They have the largest selection of martinis across the entire country-141 in total. The interior of Vicious Circle is largely built around the lounge atmosphere. Pool tables and low-level lighting give off the ambiance that guests expect, and they play an assortment of alternative rock and electronica to set the right atmosphere. A local artist is selected every month and their work is featured on the walls throughout the bar.

17TH AVENUE/THE RED MILE AND FOURTH STREET

This stretch of road in Calgary's Beltline area is by far the most popular destination for both locals and tourists alike. There are fewer tall buildings than there are downtown but there is more park space than in other areas. There are dozens of eclectic shops and restaurants that create a certain electricity in the air on Uptown 17th. It gained extra notoriety from the massive red-jersey donning crowds who gather here during Calgary Flames playoff games. It became known as the "Red Mile" during the Flames' playoff run in 2004, when crowds spilled out of the Saddledome onto the adjacent shopping strip for post-game festivities, filling the streets for hours.

17th Avenue is connected to the C-Train line at Victoria Park Stampede Station directly beside the Saddledome. The strip is highly commercialized and has a huge array of shops, restaurants, martini bars, pubs and even a high school. However, there is not much on 17th Avenue in terms of good dance clubs, but there isn't a better place in Calgary to go people watching. Waits for tables in restaurants along 17th Avenue can be as long as an hour during Fridays and Saturdays. During the week, one can usually expect an immediate seat. Line-ups for drinking establishments here aren't usually an issue unless one attends on the weekends, especially after 10pm. Pub crawls along this strip are tremendously popular.

Pubs and Live Music
The Ship and Anchor pub and eatery on 17th Avenue is anything but an attractive bar. Its patio is crowded with old beat-up furniture and picnic tables etched with all sorts of graffiti, but ironically, it is one of Calgary's most popular outdoor patios. The Ship and Anchor hosts live music, provides cheap pub food and has 30 different beers on tap. Sunday breakfasts are also popular at the Ship. Despite its trendiness, however, the main attraction is the anything-goes atmosphere, especially on weekends. They even unleash live local underground and indie bands during special events, and live jams are hosted on Saturdays from 2 to 6pm.

Capturing the feel of an old country pub from the shires in the United Kingdom is the Rose and Crown on Fourth Street SW. The interior wood finish gives the Rose and Crown an extremely classy feel. As a tremendously popular venue for over 15 years, the Rose and Crown still continues to throw down night after night, hosting 30 beers from around the globe at their three different bar areas. Like any pub, there is plenty of seating and even the comforts of large plush chesterfields and roaring fireplaces. Live rock is performed by bands on Friday and Saturday nights starting at 9 pm. They have space out back to set up tents for larger shows and functions.

A whole pile of other pubs such as Classic Jack's and Morgan's are all situated along the strip. The Watchman's is a popular place to watch the big game, drink a pint or grab a bite of food. For the beer connoisseur, a place to check out is the 1410 World Beer Haus on the west end of 17th Avenue.

Bars and Grills
The Melrose Café is a thriving upscale haunt extremely popular with golden business boys and soft-skinned female executives. They have a restaurant to one side featuring a beautiful Buddha statue centerpiece, soft-lighting and upscale seating. There is a connected bar with private rooms upstairs and down which can be reserved for functions and conferences. The bar is red-lit and has motorcycles suspended over either pool table toward to back of the bar. Water pours down the wall behind the cheerful bartenders and equally cheerful, well-dressed patrons usually line the entire bar. They have three storeys with 60 televisions in total so sports fans don't miss a beat. Their multi-level patio is also a very popular destination illuminated at night by standing torches that burn majestically out front. Occasionally, on busier evenings, DJs spin at Melrose to set the night alight. The food here is impeccable.

The Metropolitan Grill also serves up a great plate, as do many of the other excellent restaurants in the area. The Bungalow, Mercury, and Ming are some of the more popular lounges and eateries on 17th Avenue, each playing a wide variety of groovy tunes and serving mouth-watering meals and refreshing beverages. For exquisite dining, Earl's is always a popular destination. Their menu is an array of fusion cuisine and they serve their popular house beer, Albino Rhino.

KENSINGTON:

As the funkiest and artsiest district in the city, Kensington is also a highly popular neighbourhood. It is easily accessible by taking the C-Train to Sunnyside Station. Kensington is utterly Bohemian in nature and is centred just north of the Bow River along Kensington Road. It has been hugely influenced by British culture-as exemplified by the British-style red phone booths on street corners. Cafés, bookshops, small pubs, and a whole host of other specialty shops can be found along Kensington Road. Although there are no notable nightclubs in the area, Kensington is abounding in plenty of great eateries and public houses that don't promote rowdy party-style outings like the venues along the 17th Avenue strip.

Pubs and Eateries
The Kensington Pub is dug in on Kensington Road. Known affectionately by regulars as "KP", this pub has been a fountainhead in the community since 1989. It has three storeys, sturdy oak furniture, plenty of televisions and an extremely musky smell. They are also reputed to have the best steak sandwich in all of Calgary. Whether looking to get out of Calgary's bitter winter deep-freeze or looking for a nice place to go for a few relaxed drinks during a warm summer evening, the Kensington Pub is always an excellent choice. Staff here try very hard to make all patrons feel as comfortable as possible.

Also on Kensington Road is Original Joe's. Built around the traditional public house theme, Joe's is anything but. The food here is truly Canadian cuisine instead of mere pub food and the decor is dark, modern and relaxing. They have a patio that is terribly popular during the summer months too. Pay-per-game billiards can also be found inside. The staff here are among the friendliest in the city and they serve a hearty brunch complete with eggs and bacon during the weekends from 10 am to 1 pm. There are two other Original Joe's locations in Calgary just as conducive to a good conversation as the Kensington location.

SOUTH CALGARY:

Welcome to the burbs.

Leaving downtown doesn't mean one has to leave the Calgary nightlife behind. South Calgary is extremely spread out but is home to super-malls like Chinook Centre and Southcentre and almost every other amenity one can fathom. South Calgary is connected to the rest of the city by the southern portion of the C-Train line. For those that dwell in Calgary's south, there are plenty of dance clubs, beer halls and live music venues as well as dozens of restaurants and accommodation choices.

Saloons, Clubs and Live Music
Ranchman's is one of Calgary's most established bars and is located on MacLeod Trail South. Designed in the fashion of an old western saloon, Ranchman's is also Calgary's most authentic devotee to the western pioneer spirit of those that settled the prairies when Fort Calgary was established in 1876. They even have portions of the set from the motion picture Unforgiven adorning their patio to further their western theme. The original bobsled and helmet from the film Cool Runnings, which was shot in Calgary, can also be found here. They've been serving it up cowboy style since 1972, and so far the hoedown appears to be far from over. Local and international country musicians take the stage here frequently. Seasoned city-slickers can also try their luck at going western by taking advantage of free country dance lessons or they can try to take on one of the most feared beasts in Alberta-the notorious mechanical bull. Ranchman's has daily food specials to keep cowfolk coming back.

Also in the area is the King's Head. Billiards, dartboards and a whole range of daily specials keep things going, while live music during the summer months heats up this end of McLeod Trail. The Black Swan also hosts live music and is just south of Southland Drive. If one likes their rock loud, the Back Alley is probably a more suitable venue. The Back Alley hosts a wide variety of local and international metal, punk and rock bands.

Pubs
Limerick's is located in south Calgary on MacLeod Trail South. Since 1999, this deliciously authentic Irish-style public house has been warming feet with fireplaces, serving up delicious food from their extensive pub-food menu and hosting some seriously good times behind their doors. They also regularly play European soccer and Calgary Flames hockey games on each of their televisions. This usually draws a youthful 20-something crowd. Wooden furniture, stained glass, and antiques set an Irish ambiance to the place most guests won't soon forget. This pub is part of a larger chain of successful Irish-style establishments that dot the city.

Limerick's isn't the only pub in south Calgary. In nearly every strip mall in the south, one will find a smaller pub, tavern or eatery. Other establishments in the area include some of the more popular neighbourhood pubs. The Point and Feather is extremely attractive to the younger crowd, while Swigs Pub and Grill and the Bull and Finch are usually chock-full of folks of all types. Woody's Taphouse near the Southland Leisure Centre is another excellent place to hang out and have a pint. They have specials on beer during Flames games and daily food and drink specials. They even have free pool on Sundays.

THE EAST SIDE

Calgary's historical east side is home to some of most culturally rich pubs and brew houses in the city. This portion of the city includes areas like 11th Avenue SE, Inglewood and Ramsay. However, people looking for a fast-paced, action-packed night out don't go to Calgary's east side-they go downtown.

Bars, Taverns and Live Music
On 11th Avenue SE in Calgary's east side sits the Shamrock Hotel. And it is certainly showing its maturity; without its citywide reputation for great music, it would be difficult to attract a crowd. This venue is one of Calgary's premier live music destinations for local and international bands. And although Calgary is now completely smoke-free, this place still smells like grandma's ashtray. Music genres pumped from the PA system here include Top 40, funk, R&B, blues and classic rock. The Shamrock has been around since 1914 and will remain a landmark in the city for years to come.

For an alternate choice, diners and pub-goers can try the Hose and Hound Public House on 9th Avenue SE, which was converted from a historic firehouse into a live venue for rock and jazz gigs. Similarly, the Ironwood on Nineth Avenue SE also hosts a wide selection of bands. The east side is also home to pubs that promote good eats and a tasty pint of beer. Among these is Swans, which has multiple dart boards and billiard tables. There's also Kane's Harley Diner which is decorated with a 1950s theme. The Village Cantina is also situated in Calgary's east side. Live flamenco musicians perform at the Cantina on a weekly basis.

THE CALGARY STAMPEDE

Every summer, Calgary explodes in a kaleidescope of Western pioneer culture during the Calgary Stampede. Not only is the Stampede a huge international event, when it occurs, seemingly everyone in town seems to follow suit. Calgary's nightlife is Westernized at nearly every bar, saloon, club and pub in the city. During the Stampede, every place is town is packed to the rafters. Be sure to wear that 40-gallon hat.