Marda Gras: Calgary’s longest-running street festival turns 40

Thousands of people attended the 40th anniversary of Marda Gras, Calgary's longest-running street festival, Sunday.

Thousands of Calgarians joined in to help celebrate a birthday Sunday -- of a street festival, not a person.

Marda Gras, the city’s oldest street festival, turned 40 and added a few new twists to celebrate Marda Loop’s Business Improvement Area (BIA), which also turned 40.

Festival manager Shannon McNally said the event was crowded with vendors, an extra stage in the kids’ quarter, free face painting and the annual Pet Pageant, followed by a dog show.

“There’s lots of local businesses participating, artisans, food trucks, kind of something for everybody,” McNally said.

As far as being Calgary’s longest-running street festival, McNally said community engagement for the event continues to be strong.

“It’s very supported by the community,” she said. (It draws) lots of residents and neighborhood people come out, but it’s also a draw for Calgary citizens at large as well."

The festival runs on 33rd Avenue from 22nd Street to 18th Street Sunday through 5 p.m.

With files from CTV’s Tyson Fedor