Chinook Blast Unveils First Look at 2026 Festival With a New Home at Eau Claire Plaza

Calgary’s must-attend winter celebration returns with dazzling lights, music, markets, and more.

CALGARY, AB (December 11, 2025)—Winter in Calgary is about to feel a lot warmer with Chinook Blast blowing in from January 30th to February 16th, 2026. For its sixth edition, the festival will debut at the newly renovated Eau Claire Plaza (101 Barclay Parade SW) with an “art-full” winter wonderland featuring larger than life light installations, live music, performances, sports and an unforgettable experience for all-ages.

"Calgarians know how to make the most of winter, and Chinook Blast is proof of it. This festival brings our downtown to life with the energy from our creatives, businesses, and community builders, and it reminds us why Calgary is one of the best places to live, work, and play. From live music and illuminated art to recreation and family fun, Chinook Blast continues to show the world that our city is vibrant, welcoming, and rich in opportunities.”
- Mayor Jeromy Farkas

New Year, New Winter Adventures - All Free

The new location at Eau Claire Plaza is just the tip of the iceberg. This year, guest curators, Paul Magnuson , Victoria Bucholtz (aka Karla Marx ), and Kayla Bigras (aka Smokey Waters/B.Sassidy) bring their creativity and experience to the festival hub, filling it with new installations, dynamic entertainment, and the kind of winter magic you can only find at Chinook Blast.

Art That Shines Bright

The Plaza will shine with 14 of the best and brightest installations created by Calgary artists alongside select international works. Local highlights include a 13 metre geodesic light-up dome that anchors the site with an unmistakable glow and two Winter City Design Competition winners, Out from Under the Shadows3 and Luminisona +. International showstoppers include Electric Dandelions, a series of 28-foot-tall firework sculptures from California and The Cloud Swing, an illuminated swing that lights up with colour as you move. See the full lineup of projection mapping, LED displays, and other glowing art at ChinookBlast.ca .

Live Entertainment That Turns Up the Heat

It’s going to be a party at Chinook Blast as the festival turns up the heat with these first big reveals.

• January 31 with Drag on Ice 4, a Chinook Blast favourite, returns bigger and better for a full-on Frozen Disco Extravaganza at the Prince’s Island Lagoon. Joey Jay from RuPaul’s Drag Race and Calgary’s own comedian and drag queen Karla Marx will light up the ice with big wigs, bold looks, and a show that proves drag on skates is the only way to start a festival.

• The energy keeps building on February 7 as PK Sound & Friends present -MOVE- an open-air electronic music showcase sure to heat up the season with deep beats & standout local and regional talent. In collaboration with VERSIONS, ILTYYC, and B!G ART, this vibrant night blends music, art & spectacle where friends and family can gather and dance!

On February 14, Blue Jay Sessions will bring a Valentine’s Day edition packed with Calgary’s favourite singer-songwriters such as Tea Fannie and Alex Hughes , performing collaborative high-energy sets of love songs and heartbreak anthems.

"What began as a way to brighten the coldest months has become a winter tradition that celebrates the artists, performers, and community builders who make Calgary what it is. This year, we're welcoming a handful of international creators to join our amazing local talent for a festival that is sure to excite, inspire and delight.”
- Patti Pon, Chair of Chinook Blast Executive Committee and
President and CEO of Calgary Arts Development

Festival Partners Bringing Crowd Favourites to the Hub

Chinook Blast’s Pillar Festival Partners are bringing their talent to the RISE UP Calgary Outdoor Community Stage.

High Performance Rodeo kicks off the celebrations on January 30 with Kris Demeanor and Cedric Lighting. A multidisciplinary artist and Calgary’s inaugural Poet Laureate (2012–2014), Kris brings his signature blend of sharp wit, storytelling, and music to the audience.

Calgary Folk Music Festival’s Block Heater keeps the momentum going on January 30 with two back-to-back performances, starting with L’omelette and their colourful, genre-blending art-rock sound, followed by Tribe Artist Society , an Indigenous-led Hip Hop and arts collective dedicated to mentorship, empowerment, and creative expression.

Ethnik Festivals brings the vibes on February 16 with Skinny Blaizfaya , an Afropop artist, and Ray Val , a singer and songwriter, creating an energetic Family Day performance.

New Market Location

The markets are back with a new home and a fresh mix of local artists and businesses. The Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre (197 1 St SW), just steps away from Eau Claire Plaza, will welcome the return of Authentically Indigenous , along with Seconds Collective , Calgary’s coolest vintage and secondhand pop-up market.

A New Spot to Sip and Warm Up

Chinook Blast is expanding the festival experience with a new beer garden from Eighty-Eight Brewing Co. , who will serve their signature craft beers along with mulled wine, Baileys, and other seasonal favourites to help you warm up and enjoy the winter fun.

With three weekends packed with FREE entertainment, arts, culture, markets and more, this is just a glimmer of what is to come, stay tuned! The full line-up for the sixth edition of Chinook Blast will be released in January 2026.

As Calgary’s signature winter festival, Chinook Blast continues to anchor and energize the city’s cold-season calendar. The festival is proud to see the momentum it has helped build, inspiring other major winter happenings, including The GOOD Games Winter Edition at the BMO Centre from February 13 to 15  and East End Cold Spell , adding even more vibrancy to the season for Calgarians and visitors alike.

About Chinook Blast

Chinook Blast is Calgary's signature winter celebration that unites partners from arts, nonprofit, neighbourhood, tourism, and sports communities to showcase the best of the city during the winter season. Our vision is to create a uniquely Calgary winter experience that attracts visitors globally. Learn more at www.chinookblast.ca .

Chinook Blast Executive Committee is comprised of the following organizations:

About The City of Calgary

Chinook Blast is The City of Calgary’s Winter City Strategy in action, bringing people together to celebrate the season through art, culture and community. By winterizing public spaces, supporting local businesses and creating experiences that celebrate the season, Calgary is a city where winter is something to embrace. Learn more about how to love winter at Calgary.ca/LoveWinter . For media inquiries, contact [email protected] or 403-828-2954.

About Calgary Arts Development

As the city’s designated arts development authority, Calgary Arts Development supports and strengthens the arts to benefit all Calgarians. We invest and allocate municipal funding for the arts provided by the City of Calgary and leverage these funds to provide additional resources to the arts sector. Our programs support hundreds of arts organizations, individual artists, artist collectives, and ad hoc groups in Calgary. For more information, visit: calgaryartsdevelopment.com .

About Calgary Economic Development

Calgary Economic Development is an opportunity-maker, helping to spark and fuel Calgary’s growth. Our job is to connect people with resources that can help them grow their careers or businesses, thrive in new locations or markets and feel at home in our community. We steward the economic strategy, Uplook: An Action Plan for Our Economy with the mandate to position Calgary for long-term economic success by supporting the expansion, retention and acquisition of companies, capital and talent. We offer a wealth of information to help everyone succeed and we tirelessly promote Calgary, in Canada and around the world. For more information, visit www.calgaryeconomicdevelopment.com and follow us on LinkedIn .  For media inquiries, contact [email protected] or 403-880-7040.

About Tourism Calgary

Tourism Calgary is the destination management organization that for over 60 years, has enthusiastically told the story of the warm hospitality and adventurous spirit our city is known for. From conventions to leisure travel, major sports events to music and arts, Tourism Calgary promotes our unique experiences to the over 8 million people who visit Calgary every year. We market Calgary in new and exciting ways, driving over $3B in visitor spend for the local economy and advocating for Calgary’s growing tourism industry to host visitors, offer shareable experiences, and activate experiences in ways that attract, connect, and inspire. For more information, visit: visitcalgary.com .

Media Contact:
Sharon Lee
[email protected]
403-830-1688