Months back, my friend’s kid’s birthday party was graced by a hilariously awkward magician. The guy set the tone with an introduction that could put an insomniac to sleep.
The peak of the show was when accidentally hit himself in the face with a bouquet of fake flowers. The word “entertainment” felt like a cruel joke after that.
That experience made me realize how important a good entertainer is for any event. So, when I was tasked to prepare for my nephew’s birthday, I knew I had to do it right.
I rallied up my team at the Best Calgary team and looked into where to find outstanding entertainers. We spoke with entertainment companies and their clients and even attended a few live shows to ensure flashy websites and hollow promises won’t dupe us.
After much work, here’s who made it onto our list of the top entertainers in Calgary.
| How much does it cost to hire an entertainer in Calgary? It costs at least 500 CAD per hour to hire an entertainer in Calgary. However, the cost could be significantly higher for more elaborate performances. |
Table of Contents
1. Upscale Entertainment
Contact Details: +1 (403) 966-9050
Upscale Entertainment has 20 years of experience doing everything from corporate bashes to intimate weddings.
Their Revolution Party Band is a live 10-piece band that caters to everyone’s musical tastes—whether you’re into pop, classic rock, or smooth jazz. They can scale up to a 15-piece orchestra for a grander feel or tone it down to an 8- or 6-piece band for more intimate gigs.
People also absolutely love their DJ + Sax package. Many said it’s both budget-friendly and perfect for smaller spaces.
If you’re looking for something a bit different, Upscale Entertainment offers everything from comedians and circus acts to illusionists and magicians. They even cater to the little ones with fun kids’ parties.
Most of the former customers we talked to also appreciated the easy booking process and the team’s flexibility.
However, we also heard some of the performances sometimes run a bit longer than scheduled.
Customer Reviews
They truly made our special day even better
Incredible all around! We had Oliver and Stephen perform at our wedding and they were amazing! All of our guests could not stop talking about how amazing they are. They truly made our special day even better! Highly recommend!
— Jaimie Woo, Google Reviews
The dance floor was always packed, the songs were fresh
I hired Olivier and his amazing band for a corporate Christmas party and they ROCKED IT!! I got so many rave comments from staff and guests, it was so much fun! It was quite a large event about 1500 and the dance floor was always packed, the songs were fresh and the energy from the entire band was electric! I highly recommend for any event, big or small!!
— Amanda Bustard, Google Reviews
2. Carlita Show – Kids Party Entertainment
Contact Details: +1 (403) 462-1025
Operating Hours: Monday to Friday – 9 AM to 6 PM
Carlita Show is the go-to for all things fun and festive. They have a massive range of characters, from princesses and superheroes to mascots and holiday characters.
They’ve got bouncy castles, soft play rentals for the little ones, and even a cotton candy cart for that sugar rush your kids will love (and you might regret).
Parents also love all the lively activities they prepare. They’ve got parachute and caterpillar activities, dance parties with their own speaker (so you don’t need to worry about blasting Disney tunes off your phone), and photo ops to capture all the smiles.
Many of the younger kids also adore the story time and sing-alongs that the entertainers do. They even bring stickers and have bubble houses, which basically means non-stop fun.
From what we’ve heard, the customer service is generally solid. Most parents we talked to praised the team for being really engaging with the kids and showing up on time.
That said, some parents have told us that sometimes not all the scheduled activities fit into the time frame.
Customer Reviews
The games and dances were captivating
“We had Carlita show at our daughter’s 6th birthday party, and I must say it was the highlight of the event. My daughter, a huge fan of LOL dolls, was thrilled by her presence. Carlita knows how to engage kids throughout the entire show. The games and dances were captivating, and both kids and adults joined in. I highly recommend her for any event and will definitely hire her again for my next occasion! 🎉👏”
— Ankita Neha, Google Reviews
Incredibly accommodating and flexible
“Absolutely recommend Carlita Show for your kid’s birthday! They were incredibly accommodating and flexible, making sure the party was filled with joy and excitement. The kids loved dancing with the bunny, taking adorable photos, and enjoying the fun activities. A fantastic addition to any birthday celebration! Thank you!”
— Mary Villan, Google Reviews
3. Mascot Parties
Contact Details: +1 (403) 616-3652
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday 9 AM to 8 PM
Mascot Parties is perfect for parents looking for superheroes, princesses, and mascots for their kids’ parties. They go all out with their superhero entertainers—Spider-Man, Wonder Woman, and more.
Many children loved the meet and greet and the interactive training, which is a superhero boot camp for mini-heroes. Their superhero entertainers even give out tattoos and official superhero certificates.
Their princess package is perfect for the little royals in the family. Princesses like Elsa, Ariel, and more do a meet and greet, play dress-up, and even have an interactive story time. You also can do mini makeup and tattoos, along with games, crafts, dancing, and sing-alongs.
Many parents mentioned that the princess (and her assistant) were great with the kids—patient, kind, and stayed in character the entire time.
From what we’ve heard, the mascot characters are just as great. However, they only accept parties up to 12 kids.
Customer Reviews
Loved having Mascot Parties for my daughter’s birthday
“Absolutely loved having Mascot Parties for my daughter’s birthday. The face painting was fantastic and Princess Ariel was amazing. The kids had a ton of fun and all of them were able to get their faces painted. May have to have another princess/face painting party again next year for her birthday!”
— Reannon King, Google Reviews
Staff are very professional and accommodating
“Great company to hire for any occasion and event. Staff are very professional and accommodating. I would recommend Mascot Parties to anyone looking to book fun entertainment!”
— Sujood Kharfan, Google Reviews
4. PM GIGS Inc.
Contact Details: +1 (403) 276-4447
PM Gigs has nailed the balance between being professional yet personable. If you’re looking to make your next event pop with seamless, creative entertainment, these are the guys to call.
They offer musicians, live bands, DJs and even karaoke setups. They also have more unique acts like fire shows, fire dancers, and aerialists. If you want a more festive party, they can also provide you with circus-style performers, magicians, and illusionists.
One thing that stood out to many was their customer service. People genuinely appreciated how easy it was to communicate with the team.
Several holding a wedding raved about how their DJs get everyone dancing, mixing in older classics with the latest hits. And they come on time to set up without any additional drama.
People who’ve held corporate events told us their entertaining speakers make the usually dull corporate speeches fun.
And their aerialists? People who hired them for their parties bragged about how they wowed the crowd with their graceful moves.
However, we noted that more interactive or elaborate performances, like the fire shows, require specific venue requirements that aren’t always easy to meet.
Customer Reviews
So entertaining and engaging
“We recently used PMGigs to book entertainment for our President’s Stampede BBQ. We had Travis Dolter and his band come preform for the event, we have had so much positive feedback. Everyone loved him! He was so entertaining and engaging.”
— Lindsay Currie, Google Reviews
The performance was very entertaining
“Hi, We hired Illusionist Malcolm Russell through PM GIGS for a work event Banquet. I have to say that the whole process with PM GIGS was great. They are a very professional outfit and the performance was very entertaining. Would definitely recommend them for your entertainment needs.”
— Jason Regehr, Google Reviews
5. Fuze entertainment
Contact Details: +1 (403) 269-3632
Operating Hours: Monday to Friday 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM
Fuze Entertainment has everything from string ensembles to remote control games. From petting zoos to photo booths and living statues, there’s no end to how you can spice up your event.
Several people who hired their musicians said they were punctual, dressed appropriately, and played beautifully. Others said their DJs are versatile and can cater to all age groups and music tastes.
They even have cultural musicians—everything from Taiko drums to Mariachi bands and even Inuit throat singing!
And for those who want the thrill of a casino without the risk, they have a Fun Money Casino. They offer games like roulette, blackjack, and poker. Those who hosted a casino night told us the dealers were fun and professional. Everyone had a blast without losing real money.
And for those who love the nostalgia of vintage arcade games—they’ve got pinball, foosball, and even Pac Man. The only downside is that they require a good amount of space and can be tricky to set up.
Customer Reviews
The quality of music, professionalism and levels of communication
“We had Jamie to do the live session for us to celebrate my husband’s birthday in our backyard. Not only we were super impressed by the organization, fast responses and willingness to help accommodate our event by the coordinator, but also the quality of music, professionalism and levels of communications up to the day of the event with the musician. We really enjoyed the music and his willingness to offer our favorites for the occasion was just so appreciated. He even played the happy birthday song for all of us to sing together! Thank you so much Jamie and Dianne, you helped making the event even more special!”
— Silvia S, Google Reviews
They were wonderful to deal with
“I just want to thank Fuze Entertainment for providing Santa ‘Mike’ and Mrs. Claus and photographer Brad for our corporate kids holiday party. They were wonderful to deal with and everyone loved them!”
— Marci Morton, Google Reviews
