Are you looking for ideas on how to have a great birthday party in Calgary? We’ve got you covered with some ideal birthday scenarios from prominent Calgarians and tips for where to get the cake, supplies, etc…
My best birthday party in Calgary was the year I turned 30. It was Stampede Friday, and all my friends came out to celebrate with me at Cowboys. I lucked out on the timing for that one. I’m usually stumped for birthday party ideas, which was the inspiration for this post!
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Birthday party in Calgary
Having a stellar birthday party in Calgary is all about planning. You don’t know what you don’t know, so I checked in with some cool Calgary peeps to get their suggestions on how to have the perfect day. Some like to party, some like to chill, but each suggestion is worth replicating, I think.
An outdoor adventure birthday in Calgary
Outdoor adventurer, Leigh McAdam has a June birthday, which she tries to spend in Calgary with her family. Her #1 rule is not working at all. Then her party day ideally unfolds like this:
I open presents from my husband in bed while sipping a freshly made coffee. Enjoy pancakes or other baked treats before heading out for a bike ride or a full-day hike – preferably somewhere I haven’t been before in Kananaskis Country. If I have an extra hour I’d definitely want to hit the Kananaskis Nordic Spa for some downtime or fit in a pedicure in Calgary.
Then, I’m home for a shower and glass of wine, followed by dinner. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but I sure don’t want to cook. Ideally, the restaurant is somewhere close, where I can walk or bike, so having a drink isn’t a problem. (Stalker here can report that Leigh ended up going to Bread and Circus for dinner with @NatureRocksEH.)
The day is finished with either homemade coconut cake or fresh raspberry pie. Pretty simple. And perfection in my books. Follow Leigh’s adventures on Hike Bike Travel.
Healthy birthday party ideas
Fitness guru Elmira Barry has been kicking my butt for several years now. (I go to Hot Yoga on 17th and One Cycle.) Her perfect day begins with carb loading.
I’d hit the Calgary Farmers Market in the morning, where I’d get a coffee from Analog, a Veggie Delight Bagel from Waynes Bagels (on pumpernickel, of course!), a gluten-free pineapple carrot muffin from Delissitude Bakery from Renee, and, lastly, a ginger shot from Cherry Pit. I love walking around and seeing all the delicious items the local vendors have.
Probably, I’d teach a class at one of our studios – all in great neighbourhoods. Then I’d walk around 17th Ave, go for a walk with my dog around Brittania or Stanley Park. There are so many beautiful parks in the city to choose from!
Birthday party ideas for hipsters
Irene Seto runs the cool millennial lifestyle blog Mint and Heritage. Here’s a look at her birthday party ideas:
I haven’t always fêted my birthdays as I’ve gotten older, but I’ve come to realize that birthdays are the perfect boost for your personal wellness and self-worth. You shouldn’t need an excuse to celebrate yourself, but when you have one – like a birthday, you should take advantage!
For my last birthday, my closest girlfriends and I spent the morning getting pampered at Uptown Nails in Mission. This salon is great for group gatherings – they set up our manicures and pedicures together as we chatted and sipped on bevvies. It’s so soothing to have someone else take care of you – plus a great way to get your toes ready for sandal season.
After getting our nails did, it was a quick jaunt down the street to Anju to enjoy Chef Roy Oh’s tasty Korean-style brunch eats. I don’t get to see my friends very often as we deal with work, families, babies and other responsibilities, so it’s great that a birthday can get us together, even for just a little while.
How a Calgary foodie celebrates her birthday
One of my go-to sites for recipes is Dinner with Julie. Run by top Calgary foodie Julie Van Rosendaal, I know her recipes will always turn out perfectly. Here’s how this maven rolls on her special day.
My birthday usually centres around what I’m going to eat from hour to hour. Ideally I’d sleep in, and Mike always brings me a coffee from Gravity or Rosso. Depending on the day, I might go for breakfast – I always love breakfast at Sidewalk Citizen.
My birthday is in October, so it would be a gorgeous drive out to Turner Valley for a burger at the Chuckwagon Cafe and a gin at Eau Claire Distillery. I’d come home and have a nap- my favourite thing! – and then maybe go to the central library and pick up some books, and then pop over to Dandy (a few blocks from me) for some beers and snacks with friends.
And then walk over to Gorilla Whale or somewhere close by—we have so many fantastic restaurants in Calgary—for dinner with family and friends. Birthdays generally aren’t over the top, but my favourite thing is to eat and hang out with the people I love. And get some sleep!
Calgary cakes
You need a cake for a birthday celebration, of course you do! If, like Leigh McAdam, you’re hankering for fresh raspberry pie, you’ll want to order yours from either Pie Cloud or Pie Junkie. But if you’re into straight-up cakes, Calgary has plenty of options.
Not all bakeries are created equal, at least not in Calgary. If you want your cake to be epic I recommend ordering yours from either:
Decadent Brûlée
They can make vegan and flourless layer cakes that are so good you won’t know the difference, trust. Their Chocolate Obsession cake is intense for chocoholics, but my favorite is their Lemon Raspberry.
Crave
Calgary’s most famous cupcake shop also whips up lovely layer cakes to suit any occasion. Their cakes are so pretty you almost don’t want to cut into them, and you know their icing is fantastic.
For birthdays, I go with their vanilla confetti, which seems to delight everyone. Also, you can order a different flavour of icing between the cake layers if you ask nicely. Usually, I go for vanilla on the exterior and lemon-flavoured icing inside the cake.
Pretty Sweet
Another bakery with epic icing, their cakes go down to 4”, which is perfect for two to enjoy. Salted Caramel Chocolate is so good, but other flavours to wow your guests include Maple Bacon Stout and Cinnamon Bun.
Swirl Cakes
This is an appointment-only service. Custom Bakery does a lot of weddings, but they also make cakes and macaroon towers for every occasion.
Have you ever celebrated a birthday in Calgary? I’d love to hear what you got up to.
