Calgary's annual Field of Crosses memorial opened Sunday, November 1, with more than 3,700 white crosses standing along Memorial Drive to honour Southern Albertans who lost their lives in military service.
The Eleven Days of Remembrance runs through November 11 at 200 Memorial Drive N.W., near the Centre Street Bridge. The public can walk among the illuminated crosses free of charge, including overnight, apart from temporary access restrictions during event preparations.
Each cross honours an individual who died while serving. The memorial also includes a separate group of 120 crosses representing approximately 120,000 Canadians who lost their lives in military conflicts. The annual Calgary tribute is now in its 18th year, having begun in 2009.
Six new crosses were added this year after organizers received family-submitted information about individuals not previously represented. More than 150 volunteers helped install the display, according to local reporting.
Ceremonies throughout November
Organizers are holding sunrise flag-raising and sunset flag-lowering ceremonies daily from November 1 through November 10. Different days recognize veterans, military branches and communities. The November 1 ceremonies were dedicated to Memorial Cross Families.
The published schedule includes the Royal Canadian Air Force on November 2, Royal Canadian Navy on November 3, Canadian Army on November 4, the Royal Canadian Legion's centenary on November 5, first responders and animals in war on November 6, youth on November 7 and Indigenous Veterans Day on November 8.
November 9 programming honours women who served and Jewish Canadians among the fallen. November 10 includes a tribute to United Nations peacekeepers.
For November 1, the organizers list sunrise at 8:29 a.m. and sunset at 6:09 p.m. They ask people attending daily ceremonies to arrive 10 to 15 minutes beforehand. Exact sunrise and sunset times for each day are available on the official event schedule.
Night of Lights and Remembrance Day
On November 10, volunteers will place lanterns in front of more than 3,700 crosses for the Night of Lights, with the memorial illuminated from sunset until sunrise on Remembrance Day. The organizers say only volunteers can access the field from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. November 10 while preparing the display.
The main Remembrance Day service is scheduled for the morning of Wednesday, November 11, with a televised ceremony held at the memorial. The organizers' published schedule currently lists two different start times for the service, so those planning to attend should confirm the latest details with the Field of Crosses directly.
Parking will be very limited near the site on November 11. The organizers recommend parking south of the Bow River near Eau Claire and walking across the bridge. Memorial Drive immediately in front of the memorial is scheduled to close at 9 a.m. until the ceremony is complete.
A volunteer-run Calgary tradition
The display was conceived by Calgary businessman and philanthropist Murray McCann, who was inspired by a similar memorial in the United States. The project grew from an initial 300 names into a volunteer-supported five-acre tribute.
The registered charity also offers Classroom at the Crosses, a program developed with Valour Canada that introduces school groups to Canadian military history, including the Battle of Vimy Ridge.
Field of Crosses organizers encourage visitors to take time to read the names and stories on the crosses rather than treating the memorial only as an installation. The crosses remain on display through November 11.
Sources
Field of Crosses Memorial Project: history, memorial details and youth education programming.
Veterans Affairs Canada: memorial location and history.
CJWE Southern Alberta: original reporting on the six new crosses and volunteer installation.
LiveWire Calgary: October 30 interviews about the 2026 ceremonies and memorial history.