Visit during an annual Medicine Hat festival or event this summer.
Rise Up Hot Air Balloon Festival
May 2027
Over a dozen eye-catching hot air balloons lift off from a new location at each scheduled time at this third annual family event. Both Friday and Saturday evenings feature a flight and balloon glow — where half of the hot air balloons are inflated, illuminated, and tethered to the ground so people can see them up close after sunset, while the other half lift off before sunset. All day Saturday will be a free community day in Medicine Hat’s Historic Downtown, which will include a market, food trucks, and family-focused activities.
Spectrum Festival
May 2027
A family-friendly event hosted in Kin Coulee Park. Spectrum Sunshine Festival features local artists, musicians, cultural performances, and food trucks for a weekend. Along with this, there will be games, wrestling events, jump castles and more for young families.
Badlands Bash
June 2027
In Echo Dale Regional Park, racers bike five downhill lines, and then the evening brings live music, bonfires, and bustling campsites. There are 10 designated campsites in the park, but a field is completely available for bikers to set up camp and celebrate mountain biking until the stars come out.
Taco Fest Medicine Hat
June 2027
Indulge in tacos, margaritas, and pina coladas at Medalta in the Historic Clay District. From 2-10p.m., restaurant owners from Medicine Hat and Southern Alberta will be serving up their style of tacos. Visit the booths and food trucks to find delicious food, dance with the live DJ, and stay after 8p.m. for more dancing, drinks, and a lively evening.
The Hills are Alive
June 2027
An Indigenous gathering where people will learn to play a musical instrument, make a capote, dance a jig, weave a sash, and become immersed in Métis culture — all while surrounded by the rolling hills in beautiful Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park. Registration is required to attend.
Alternative Waves Music Festival
June 2027
Alternative Waves Music Festival hosts metal, punk, and rock bands on one of Medicine Hat’s most historic streets, across the street from the historic CP Railway Station. The Mainliner Pub has indoor and outdoor stages where up to 200 musicians perform throughout the weekend.
Great Big Pedal
June 2027
Bike Medicine Hat invites people to pump their tires, clip their helmets, and meet at Kin Coulee Park to bike the scenic pathways. The free event is accessible for all types of bicycles, from e-bikes, to road, recumbent, tandem, and mountain. Participants can choose a five, 10, or 20 kilometre trail to bike for the evening, and afterwards food trucks greet friends and family for a bite to eat.
JazzFest
June 2027
Exquisite symphonies are performed at The Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre, on-stage in the beautiful, acoustic theatre, on the rooftop terrace, and in the dimmed lobby. There are also outdoor performances hosted on the lush, front lawn, next door to Alberta’s oldest brick residence, Ewart-Duggan House. An exclusive show presents a band inside Medicine Hat's National Historic Site, Medalta in the Historic Clay District. Dancing guests and the live band are backlit with century-old brick.
National Indigenous Peoples Day
June 2027
Every year, a Powwow demonstration is hosted and Teepees are set up at Kin Park in Medicine Hat. Indigenous dancers who live in and visit Medicine Hat demonstrate dances from Jingle Dress Dance, to Ladies Traditional Dance, the Chicken Dance, and more, ending the gathering with a Round Dance that includes everyone. You can also find Indigenous artisans, face painting, and food trucks.
Glow up the Globe Festival
June 30, 2027
The Connection, in partnership with Medicine Hat Skateboard Associations’s Canada Day, hosts the Glow up the Globe festival that features family crafts and activities, cultural food truck alley, and an evening Glow up the Globe Dance Party, with glow sticks, a live DJ, and dancers. The festival invites many people to lead a cultural dance on stage, from line dancing, to caribbean dancing. And over 8,000 friends and families of all ages attended the lively event.
Beat the Heat
July 1, 2027
Generations of skateboarders from across Canada gather at the Inland Skateboard Park and Kinsmen Skate Plaza to compete at the Canada Skateboard sanctioned event. From the early morning hours to the late evening minutes, skateboarders showcase their skills, tricks, and speed. Surrounding the Inland Skate Park and Kinsmen Skate Plaza will be live performances that celebrate the many cultures in Medicine Hat, food trucks, beer gardens, bouncy castles, a local market, and a huge product toss in between categories. To accommodate audience members, shaded bleachers are built for a clear, up-close view of the competitors.
Canada Day Festival
July 1, 2027
Take in cultural performances, Western Canada's largest skateboarding competition Beat the Heat, an artisan market, family activities, and more.
Great Big Paddle
July 2027
A large waterway in a prairie city calls for an event like the Great Big Paddle. The South Saskatchewan River invites the relaxed and friendly float to begin in Echo Dale Regional Park, where giant cliffs and red rock lead the way. After a few hours of stunning scenery, Strathcona Island Park pulls the group in to finish the float. The event is free and open for anyone to join. Rentals are available through Outdoor Xcape Rentals.
Quonset Days
July 2027
George Canyon, Brett Kissel, and other musicians are set to take stage at Quonset Days. Friends and families are invited to enjoy live music, food trucks, beer gardens, and classic Quonset Days food, like the “Quonset Dog” in a very Southeast Alberta prairie setting. Quonset Days is located just outside of Medicine Hat, and all profits are donated towards ALS Society of Alberta.
The Heritage Gather
July 2027
Showcasing Indigenous culture and Western heritage through Open Rodeo, Indian Relay Racing, Ranch Scramble, Powwow Demonstrations, Buffalo Riding Cowboy, cultural craft workshops, artisan market, live music, and so much more, the inclusive family-focused event provides an experience that inspires people to honour and celebrate Indigenous, Albertan, and Canadian heritage.
Medicine Hat Stampede & Exhibition
July 2027
A family-friendly, four-day event that originated in 1887. It’s a celebration of western culture and heritage with exciting rodeos, a pop-up amusement park, and a range of ticket-entry and free entertainment. Thousands of people enjoy their summer days and are entertained for as long as their hearts desire. View the night shows.
Battle Creek Showdown
August 2027
Mountain bike thrilling trails in Elkwater, Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park during Battle Creek Showdown. Filled with locals in the early years, the mountain bike festival quickly grew with racers from across Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan. There’s live music and food trucks in the evening. And for those who camp, the Visitor Centre, Elkwater Lake, and playgrounds are all nearby to continue on the action.
Porchfest
August 2027
Porchfest is a free-to-attend festival and invites local artists and musicians to perform live music on the Southeast Hill, a historic neighbourhood with beautiful boulevards and front porches. Every year, a wandering crowd strolls from house to house and watches local performers underneath the sunshine. People of all ages bring their dogs, put on their sunscreen and sun hats, and set up their foldable chairs to sit outside and listen to live music. Enjoy the festival on foot or on bike.
Miywasin Days: Celebrating Indigenous Culture
September 2027
The Miywasin Demonstration Powwow is a vibrant and inclusive celebration, where Elders, youth, and community members come together to share and preserve cultural traditions. It is a gathering that highlights the strength, resilience, and beauty of Indigenous identity, while welcoming all people to learn, witness, and participate in the spirit of reconciliation.
Latin Fest Medicine Hat
September 2027
A team of five passionate Latinos in Medicine Hat, with years of friendship behind them, are hosting the 2nd annual Latin Fest Medicine Hat in September. Anabell, Carlos, Carmen, Marvin, and Milena, the group of people behind Mi Gente YXH Association, have long shared the vision to host a free, family-friendly Latin Festival in Medicine Hat.
Down Right Fest
September 2027
Downtown Medicine Hat has a new music festival. Down Right Fest invites artists that span the genres, from electronic, to folk, country, pop, garage rock, and punk, to play in various venues in the heart of the city. With third street closed to traffic, wander from venue to venue listening to live music, visiting with friends and family, and experiencing the nightlife in downtown Medicine Hat.
