High Performance Rodeo Set to Take Over Downtown Calgary

January 12, 2023

Calgary’s International Festival of the Arts, better known as the High Performance Rodeo (HPR), is back for three wild weeks this winter. HPR is taking over much of downtown Calgary starting January 16th with incredible dance, film, music, theatre, cabarets, concerts, and so much more. It’s a show you don’t want to miss. 


This Calgary festival features acclaimed international artists, touring performances from across Canada, and local artists from Calgary with new and experimental offerings. The programming is cutting-edge, bold, honest, funny, awe-inspiring, and more. It’s the longest-running festival of its kind in Canada and, with its diversity, offers something for everyone. 


Calgary’s High Performance Rodeo continues to be an essential forum for creating and preserving Canada's performing arts and culture.


Arts and Entertainment Event Takes Place in January - February 2023

From January 16 to February 5, 2023, many of the Calgary International Festival of the Arts shows take place at the One Yellow Rabbit Performance Theatre in downtown Calgary but trickle into other downtown venues, like:

  • City Hall
  • The Glenbow
  • The Royal Canadian Legion
  • The +15’s
  • Eau Claire Market
  • Arts Commons
  • And more


With many performances playing at venues in the Arts Commons (Big Secret Theatre, Jack Singer Concert Hall, and more), commuters will enjoy underground parking and direct access without venturing outside. 


Communities in Southwest Calgary, like Glendale, have only a short 11-minute drive to the Arts Commons and Studio Vertigo Theatre at the base of the Calgary Tower. Likewise, Lakeview residents have just a 14-minute drive to take in all the performances at the historic Cathedral Church of the Redeemer. 


Food & Drink

Grab a beverage and a bite before or after a show at the Laycraft Lounge. Located on the 2nd floor of the Arts Commons at the Big Secret Theatre, the Laycraft is a popular hangout for the performers and a perfect opportunity to mingle or catch a selfie with a favourite artist. 


Walk in any direction from the Arts Commons to one of the many fine eateries in beautiful downtown Calgary. Be sure to take in every aspect of the HPR experience.


Support the Arts & Local Calgary Artists

The High Performance Rodeo, produced by registered charity One Yellow Rabbit Performance Theatre, is presented in collaboration with Calgary’s community partners and major arts organizations.


The festival depends on the generosity of its many sponsors, whether commercial businesses, arts organizations, provincial and federal governments, and so many more, including you. Every donation counts to maintain High Performance Rodeo’s valuable contribution to Calgarian and Canadian arts and culture and to continue being the longest-running festival of its kind in Canada. 


Learn more about how your donation makes a difference in the lives of Calgarians on a limited budget, needing ASL sign language interpretation, or giving equal accessibility so those with mobility issues can attend an HPR show.   


All the More Reason to Love Life in Downtown Calgary

The International Festival of the Arts isn’t just a festival; it’s a way of life. And it’s just one of Calgary’s many seasonal celebrations. 


Calgarians, like myself, enjoy a mix of free and paid jamborees that happen throughout the year. From the High Performance Rodeo in the winter and the Calgary Stampede in the summer to Beakerhead, one of Calgary’s best fall festivals, these galas are all the more reasons why locals love living in Calgary. 


Ready to find your dream home and elevate your quality of life in Southwest Calgary? Search my available listings or Call Me!

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