The BLOX and Friends: Street Projects That Bring Calgary Together

Calgary isn’t just building roads anymore. It’s building places to walk, meet, and connect. As more neighbourhoods invest in design, events, and local culture, we’ve seen our streets take on new life. Projects like The BLOX are great examples of how a city can feel more inviting without major construction – just a bit of creativity and collaboration.

We spent some time visiting these projects and their surrounding areas. Here’s what we saw and why it matters.

The BLOX

“Explore the Beltline. Discover The BLOX.”

• 82% business growth in just 5 years (2020-2025)
• 320+ businesses supported (expanding to 400+)
• 24+ programs running simultaneously
• $1,271 per business – 30% above Calgary average
• 30,000+ visitors annually from major partnerships
• #5 largest budget among Calgary’s 15 BIAs

The BLOX is a street-level identity and beautification project created by the Beltline BIA. It’s part branding, part public art, and part placemaking. If you’ve walked through the Beltline recently and noticed bold signage, coordinated street furniture, and wayfinding markers, you’ve already experienced The BLOX.

This initiative brings together a lot of things: murals, signage, events, lighting, and partnerships with businesses and artists. The goal is to make the Beltline easier to explore and more enjoyable to walk.

What’s Included?

A few standout elements that define The BLOX:

• BLOX Arts Centre: A rotating space for art, local storytelling, and public engagement. This community hub hosts performances, workshops, and exhibitions and serves as the official Artist Lounge for the Sled Island Festival. It’s designed to generate foot traffic for local businesses before and after events.
• Shop ‘Til Ya Drop: A community-driven promotion that gets people supporting local businesses through special campaigns and business spotlights throughout the year.
• BLOX Party and Bikes Beers Burgers: Regular street activations that feel casual and fun. Bikes Beers Burgers was a month-long campaign where people biked to local restaurants for curbside pickup and entered weekly draws using digital tokens.
• Party in the Park: An all-ages, pet-friendly outdoor festival held every early September at Lougheed House. Features live music from local and touring bands, beer tents, lawn games, food vendors, and serves as a community celebration to close out summer.
• The 1905 Project: A unique public art initiative using street signs as a canvas to highlight 15 historic moments in the Beltline. Created by artists Slavek Pytraczyk and Jarett Sitter, each installation tells stories from the area’s past while promoting current businesses.
• Big Winter Classic: Originally a 4-day winter music festival featuring 100+ bands, comedians and artists. Born from the idea of celebrating Calgary year-round rather than just during summer months, it regularly brings major cultural programming into The BLOX footprint.

The BLOX in Action

You’ll know you’re in The BLOX when you see its signature black-and-white branding – on planters, banners, wraps, and even utility boxes. There’s a clear effort to bring visual consistency to the area, making it easier to navigate and more photogenic for both locals and tourists.

Add in seasonal lighting and public seating, and you get a walkable corridor that doesn’t just look good but also encourages people to stay, shop, or take part in events. What sets The BLOX apart is that it balances fun with function. You can tell it’s not just decoration – it’s meant to make people stop, stay, and enjoy the space.

What Makes The BLOX Work

One thing that stood out to us: it actually brings people together. Whether you’re catching a show, grabbing a bite, or just walking the dog, The BLOX gives the Beltline a clear identity. It feels like Calgary’s downtown south – not just in name but in energy.

It helps that The BLOX is more than one-off murals or events. It’s a consistent system that highlights everything the Beltline has to offer, from shops and bars to studios and small parks. It’s not flashy. It’s smart.

City Fun, Changing Fast

Just like The BLOX combines historic signs with modern art, the way people have fun in Calgary is changing too. It’s not just festivals, murals, or sunny patios anymore. Many people are also enjoying quick, casual fun on their phones. This includes things like trivia apps, digital scavenger hunts, and even playing online casino games that are fully licensed in Alberta.

From Murals to Mobile Casinos

You won’t find a physical casino in the Beltline, but thanks to Alberta’s regulated online gambling options, many locals are playing safely from their phones. It’s common to see someone sipping coffee outside or waiting for a band at Big Winter Classic while checking in on their favourite slot game or blackjack app.

These habits blend real life and online play in a new way. It’s not just about going out or staying in – it’s about doing both, when and where it works for you. Whether you’re exploring public art, browsing local shops, or playing a quick mobile game, Calgary’s streets are becoming more flexible, more fun, and more connected.

The BUMP Festival

“BUMP turns walls into works of art.”

Started in 2017, the Beltline Urban Murals Project (BUMP) has grown into one of Calgary’s most visible art initiatives. It’s basically a massive, ongoing street art gallery that’s free and always open. BUMP is run by a nonprofit and has strong ties to The BLOX and the Beltline community.

Every summer, BUMP hosts a full festival with artist talks, rooftop events, walking tours, and live mural painting. But the murals themselves stick around year-round, meaning you can explore Calgary’s public art at any time.

This year, BUMP added over 70 new murals, many of which are located right in the Beltline near BLOX installations. A good starting point? Use the interactive BUMP map to take a self-guided tour. It’s easy and a good excuse to grab a coffee or lunch along the way.

BUMP is now not only about colour on concrete – it supports artists, brightens public space, and makes art feel like part of daily life. It’s backed by Calgary Arts Development, the City, and lots of community partners.

Marda Loop BIA

“A walkable business district with deep roots.”

Scale	Current Operations
40+ years of operation (since 1984)	200+ businesses supported
$220,000 annual budget	$1,100 per business investment
37% business growth (2020-2025)	13% above Calgary BIA average

Community programming:

• Marda Gras Street Festival running since 1987
• Thousands of annual festival attendees
• #10 budget rank among Calgary’s 15 BIAs

Over in southwest Calgary, the Marda Loop Business Improvement Area takes a different but equally successful approach. With over 200 businesses and a long-standing BIA history dating back to 1984, Marda Loop focuses on small business support, storytelling, and making the area feel neighbourly.

Their motto, “Where life connects,” sums it up well. The BIA installs street banners, lights, and planters but also runs local campaigns and events that bring people into the area for more than just errands.

The Marda Gras Street Festival, held every summer, brings out thousands. You’ll also find smaller seasonal promotions and business spotlights throughout the year.

What really stood out to us is how Marda Loop uses its history. The name comes from the old Marda Theatre and Calgary’s streetcar loop, and the BIA actively preserves and shares that legacy through projects like the Marda Loop History Project. It is not nostalgia – it’s local pride that works alongside modern business development.

Other Projects Worth Knowing

We also checked out a few other Calgary BIAs doing great work. Here are some highlights:

What Ties It All Together

What do all these projects have in common? For starters, they’re built around walkability. They don’t just want people to pass through. They want you to stop, look, explore, and connect.

They also invest in placemaking: using murals, banners, patios, and events to shape how a neighbourhood feels. And they all work closely with local businesses, helping them stay visible and part of the experience.

Why It Matters

After the pandemic, people started looking for meaningful ways to enjoy their own city. These street-level projects give us that. They support small businesses, highlight local culture, and make Calgary more interesting and inclusive.

When you walk through The BLOX, you’re not just seeing signs – you’re seeing a strategy. Same with Marda Loop and the other BIAs. It’s thoughtful city-making without massive infrastructure budgets.

As the team at BUMP puts it,

“Art should be accessible to everyone, every day.”

These projects bring that idea to life in the best way possible.

Plan Your Own Street Day

If you’re curious to experience it all yourself:

1. Walk through The BLOX and explore the newest BUMP murals.
2. Spend a weekend morning in Marda Loop for coffee, brunch, and boutique browsing.
3. Visit 4th Street, Inglewood, or International Avenue during one of their seasonal events.
4. Bring a friend, a camera, or a dog, whatever helps you slow down and enjoy the city differently.

Calgary’s Streets Tell Stories

Calgary is starting to feel more like a place where streets aren’t just ways to get somewhere. They are destinations on their own. With projects like The BLOX, BUMP, Marda Loop, and more, we’re seeing what happens when art, design, and local energy come together.

It’s easy to take it for granted, but the next time you walk down a mural-covered alley or sit on a sidewalk patio under string lights, remember: someone made that happen. And it’s making our city better.

Want to explore more?

• The BLOX: Visit their official website or contact Katie Thies at [email protected]
• BUMP Festival: Check out yycbump.ca for mural maps and tour schedules
• Marda Loop BIA: Explore visitmardaloop.com or reach Bob van Wegen at [email protected]
• Fourth Street BIA: Find events at 4streetcalgary.com

Plan your street day: Most BIAs offer guided tours, self-guided maps, and regular events. Check their websites for current programming and seasonal festivals.