Over 23,000 Jehovah's Witnesses gathering at BMO Centre for Eternal Happiness Convention this weekend

Around 23,000 Jehovah's Witnesses will be in Calgary this weekend for the 2026 Eternal Happiness Convention at the BMO Centre, with 3,500 delegates from Alberta, the Northwest Territories, Yukon, southeastern B.C. and around the world participating in the three-day event.

The event is free of charge and the public is welcome to attend. Throughout the weekend, there will be talks, presentations and videos highlighting Jesus' life and how attendees can apply those teachings in their own lives and toward a future where the Bible promises a new paradise Earth, according to Jehovah's Witnesses Canada spokesperson Brad Pramberg.

The convention marks a significant milestone for the faith in Alberta. Jehovah's Witnesses first came to Alberta back in 1895 in the town of Calmar. By 1910 they had expanded to other cities, with their first convention in Calgary taking place in 1911. "One of our first Kingdom Halls was actually just on McDonald Avenue, and that was one of the first Kingdom Halls here in the Calgary area," Pramberg said. "So it goes back almost 130 years."

There are well over 6,000 Jehovah's Witnesses in Calgary separated into 44 congregations. Eight Kingdom Halls are located within Calgary, with three more located in Airdrie, Okotoks and Strathmore. Across Canada, there are 50,000 Jehovah's Witnesses.

Calgary has stepped up to accommodate the thousands of delegates staying in the city. Throughout the city, hotels have provided 22,000 bed nights through 3,400 rooms for attendees. "Calgary definitely has already set that as a precedent," Pramberg said. "We definitely are enjoying our time here at the BMO Centre and would be more than happy to have another convention here in the city."

This is one of 26 similar conventions taking place across Canada this year, with similar conventions previously held at the Saddledome, Medicine Hat, Lethbridge, Red Deer and Edmonton.