Fans of GlobalFest, Calgary’s annual fireworks and cultural festival, feared the worst when the festival paused ticket sales at the end of 2025. But after avoiding cancellation, GlobalFest returns this year with a new logo, a new venue and support from a new partner, Showpass.
GlobalFest was dealing with financial struggles for a few years prior to this year’s changes. Setting up festival infrastructure at Elliston Park was growing increasingly expensive. According to Ken Goosen, chief operating officer of Global Mosaic Alberta Society (formerly GlobalFest Society), the cost of power alone could have been as high as $250,000 this year. Last year’s festival also saw 11,000 fewer ticket sales than the year prior.
“We had to make some hard decisions,” says Goosen. “At the end of the day, it was either find a new path for GlobalFest or … disband the organization.”
GlobalFest has been a client of Showpass for the past 10 years, using it as the festival’s ticketing system. Showpass produced SumoFest earlier this year, and had the means and connections to help make GlobalFest happen. Bringing the festival to Spruce Meadows, another of Showpass’ clients, is one of the biggest changes.
“There [are] so many new upgrades and improvements to the guest experience that we’re seeing at Spruce Meadows,” says Lucas McCarthy, CEO of Showpass.
This year’s GlobalFest, which features Japan, Italy and Mexico as the showcase countries, also has a variety of new attractions including a drone show, a Japanese car show, celebrity chefs from the showcase countries and a variety of cultural attractions including luchadors, mariachi bands and sumo wrestlers. McCarthy says Showpass’ goal is to further highlight the cultural appreciation aspect of GlobalFest.
“There’s enough divisiveness in the world that this type of celebration is something that everybody should embrace,” says McCarthy. “This is the thing that the world needs right now.”
GlobalFest runs August 27 to 30, 2026 at Spruce Meadows, 18011 Spruce Meadows Way S.W.. Tickets are available at globalfest.ca