After a wet and frosty start, Victoria Day long weekend activities are officially getting underway in Calgary. The weather dawned bright and clear Sunday morning with temperatures at 5 C and a mix of sun and clouds, a far cry from the previous day when Calgarians were pelted with snowfall and rain for most of the day.
Attractions Reopen After Snow Delay
Long weekend attractions were forced to close on Saturday and either delay their summer openings or reopen on Sunday to more palatable temperatures. Staff at Calaway Park delayed the amusement park's summer opening by a day and opened for business on Sunday at 10 a.m.
"It's cooler and windy out today," said Bob Williams, the park's general manager. "But at least it's not snowing." The park received up to three inches of snow on Saturday, forcing staff to delay its opening out of safety concerns for visitors. "When the decks are covered with snow and ice, loading and unloading guests is something that we take very seriously," Williams said on Saturday.
As of Sunday morning, two rides still remained closed to visitors, with plans to open them later in the day to let the hydraulics heat up, Williams explained. The turnout may not be as large as expected, but the park will remain open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. for the remainder of the long weekend and into the summer.
"We've got brand new road system parking lots and we got a brand new admissions area," Williams said. "We have three new shows. We have a bunch of new food items that the guests can take in. We have a new movie that will be running in the theatre, and then obviously all the rides that they love to ride. We're ready for the 2026 season."
Other Venues and Events Affected
Calgary Farmyard reopened its doors on Sunday after having to shut down Saturday. WinSport also reopened its downhill karting at regular hours on Sunday after being closed due to the weather.
Outside the city, people heading out for activities this weekend have had mixed experiences. Golfers travelling to Medicine Hat for the 69th Victoria Day Classic at the Medicine Hat Golf and Country Club faced disappointment after inclement weather and snow on the course forced the cancellation of the second day of the three-day tournament on Sunday.
"I'm looking out my window and we have maybe four to five centimeters of really, really wet snow on the ground right now," said Cam Jacques, the club's general manager. "So it looks pretty, but not very golfable." The tournament got off to a strong start on Saturday with 150 players participating in the first round. On Sunday, with temperatures dropping into the negatives and rain predicted throughout the day, the tournament was cancelled, with plans to skip ahead to the third round on Monday, shortening the tournament from a 54-hole to 36-hole game.
