In the historic hub with local eateries, an ultimate live music crawl is found in downtown Medicine Hat.
Follow the sound along streets and avenues to find live music in the heart of the city, starting at one of these four spots who host live music almost every weekend in the summer.
Third Street in downtown Medicine Hat will be under construction during summer 2024, but the doors are open at these local eateries and live entertainment is booked to keep the energy alive. Wherever you park, these local spots are worth the wander.
A vibrant energy bounces off the colourful hand painted walls when live music fills Casa Amigos Cantina. Local to traveling bands of all genres will take the Cantina stage in the summer, including three from Puerto Vallarta. Drink specials and the dancefloor await those who search for live entertainment.
“We opened our doors with the goal to be a music hub, and we love how hosting live music invites people downtown to have dinner and stay longer to enjoy the live music,” says Shauna Mamona, co-owner at Casa Amigos Cantina.
With a happy hour from 2:00-6:00p.m. and a new menu, there is a lot to try and listen to at the local eatery. Start with the salsa & chips flight, and pair it with the tequila flight.
For bands interested in booking this venue, Casa Amigos Cantina features a portable stage and PA system if needed.
With a patio that seats more than the indoor area, LOCAL Public Eatery throws summer events with live music as the main entertainment. And many people still talk about their events as more summer seasons pass.
“The patio is where the core memories are made in the summer, and live music plays such a big part in that. It elevates the experience of going out. We want people to have a very vivid experience that they remember for many summers to come,” Jessica Vossler, night manager at LOCAL Public Eatery.
With the close knit downtown community, people often explore downtown Medicine Hat and experience a handful of places before the end of the night. Neighbouring owners love to see new eateries open, because it’s a new place to stop along the way during a cocktail crawl.
Moose & Squirrel Bistro (seasonal)
Live music is one of the avenues of entertainment Medicine Hat has an abundance of because of the amount of musicians living and performing in the sunny city.
Moose & Squirrel Bistro is an outdoor venue surrounded by historic brick walls and vibrant murals, featuring a full food and drink menu, and creative ice cream concoctions for dessert.
A beautifully crafted stage with favourable acoustics invites local and traveling artists to perform outdoors, and allows for ‘jam nights’ to introduce other creatives to one another.
The lively Bistro sees the supportive entertainment community each time they host an event, where connections are made and traveling bands return or new musicians book more shows throughout the city and beyond Medicine Hat.
“There’s definitely an appetite for live music from locals, and visitors love it because they get to see something new and different from where they live. We often have people who go from place to place on the weekends, and it’s easy to do on foot,” says Carrie Dhensaw, co-owner of Moose & Squirrel Bistro.
Downtown Medicine Hat is becoming an entertainment district to hop around. And with the new Tipsy Trolley, people can peddle to the next spot.
The Yard Patio & Eatery (seasonal)
With an elevated food menu and a hot spot for live music, The Yard Patio & Eatery stays as local as possible with everything they do. Beers and spirits are sourced from Medicine Hat breweries and its distillery. Dishes featured on the menu include ingredients produced near the city. And the outdoor eatery is hosting the Patio Dinner Club once a month until September, where local chefs will prepare a five-course meal under the sunshine.
“Our patrons love the walkability of downtown and spend an entire evening experiencing different spots. It’s awesome to see people sharing the love — because we have such a cool downtown core,” says Joshua Hopkins, managing partner at The Yard Patio & Eatery. “Live music truly fits our venue. It’s the weather, the people, and the special moments that keep bringing people downtown to have a full night out.”
Locals who regularly attend live music events are often found at these locations, with owners frequently seeing familiar faces. And musicians in the city welcome new bands, where friendships last longer than in the evenings they were made.
If you’re a band interested in performing at one of these venues, owners are available through email or social media.
And if you’re a visitor looking for live music, we hope you found a spot to start the evening.
if you're a venue for live music, add your downtown eatery here
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