Calgary Entertainment: even more rodeo, a cave carnival and classical strings

Wondering what to do this weekend? CBC The Homestretch's Tracy Fuller has some ideas to keep busy.

High Performance Rodeo continues

High Performance Rodeo remainsat thetop of my list this week.

Jonny Donahoe'sEvery Brilliant Thing is a one-man show about depression that is getting rave reviews.Cathy Jones' one-woman show Stranger to Hard Workopened Wednesday night.

But my No. 1 suggestion this weekend is Calgary's own Decidedly Jazz Dancework's production of Juliet and Romeo. If you're open to modern dance, this interpretation of a classic story is sexy, powerful, even acrobatic at times.There's a serious spoken-word element to this show as well. Think Shakespeare for the 21st century.

And you can check out the complete High Performance Rodeo schedule right here.

Classical strings

This Sunday, musicians withBell'arte Strings are taking over St. Stephen's Anglican Church on behalf of the Instrumental Music Society of Calgary to play Mendelssohn's string quartets. Tickets for the 3 p.m. performance are just $15 at the door.

More information atinstrumentalsociety.ca

Free and kid friendly

All through January, the Cave and Basin National Historic Site in Banff is hosting its annual Winter Carnival at the Cave. There are daily old time movies and music, an ice palace and slide, bonfires, curling activities and stories plusa photo exhibit in partnership with the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies. On Saturday, the historic site is also hosting a chocolate festival, recreating recipes that date back to the mid-1700s.

And there's more to do in Banff. On Friday, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., local celebrities and hockey players will be out on the ice rink downtownfor a game of shinny.It's billed as a fun, family-friendly event, with fire pits and old-time winter carnival music.

For more information see Parks Canada'swebsite.

Something to make us laugh

Muslim-Canadian actor and comedianAli Hassanis halfway through his cross-Canada tour of his new stand-up comedy show, Muslim, Interrupted. He is stoppingin Calgary for two shows. The show is at 7 p.m. and again at 9 p.m. this Fridaynight in the Engineered Air Theatre at Arts Commons.

Tickets are online at www.artscommons.ca

Craft beer and bands

A Calgary event calledBig Winter Classic runs all weekend at various downtown venues.

The event will showcase 60 bands in four days, Jan. 19to 22,on five stages. Meanwhile beer from craft breweries will be on tap, including the seven establishments currently pouring in Calgary.So many performers are passing through that it's worth taking a look at the full lineup and information about tickets on bigwinterclassic.com

With files from The Homestretch