CHINOOK BLAST
Eau Claire Plaza
January 30 to February 16 2026
Free Admission!
Have a blast at
Eau Claire
Plazathis winter
- Live Music & DJs
- Lagoon Ice Skating
- Markets
- Light Displays
- Roving Performers
- Beer Garden
- Firepits
- THE Dome
- Programs & Activities
101 Barclay Parade SW
Eau Claire Plaza
January 30 to February 16
Three Weekends of Winter Fun
The festival excitement lasts all month long!
Each of our three weekends features a unique lineup of performers, special events, and rotating market vendors. Click below to explore the detailed schedule and highlights for Weekend One, Weekend Two, or Weekend Three and plan your perfect visit.
Featuring
Authentically Indigenous presents Winter Frost: Indigenous Market
Celebrate the season Indigenous style at the Winter Frost: Indigenous Market! Featuring 40 Indigenous artists and vendors, powwow dance performances, and creative kids crafts, this…
+ 2 more dates
Presented by Authentically Indigenous
Prairie Sparks: Local Lights
Prairie Sparks: Local Lights is a dynamic showcase celebrating Calgary’s vibrant arts community through performances by TD Incubator artists and alumni. Presented by Werklund Centre…
Presented by Werklund Centre
Tie Dye with Mohar Gupta
February 6 (6–8 PM): Tie Dye Painting at the Chinook Blast Hub: Participants will create vibrant designs directly on paper using vibrant colours with artist…
Glow UP!
GLOWful Wanderings and Trails of Light are roaming stiltwork performances that are suitable for all ages. Three Left Feet creates enchantment with LED glow and…
+ 1 more date
Presented by Three Left Feet
Dempsey Bolton
Dempsey Bolton bends pop music to his whim, blending elements of alternative, indie, rock and hip hop to deliver a fresh sound. Also he likes…
Puppet Stuff Canada
Meet the whimsical characters of Puppet Stuff Canada during Chinook Blast! Visitors From Beyond! (January 31st) There are extraterrestrials among us! These out-of-this-world visitors are discovering…
+ 1 more date
Presented by Puppet Stuff Canada
Cruz Brothers (DJ Fatrok & DJ C-SIK)
Upbeat DJ Set with DJ Fatrok and DJ C-SIK at the RISE UP Calgary Community Outdoor Stage.
PK Sound and Friends Present -MOVE-
A FREE open-air electronic music showcase ready to heat up the season with deep beats and standout local & regional talent.In collaboration with CHINOOK BLAST,…
Presented by PK Sound
Cirque in the Snow
Step into a whole new colourful dimension with The Little Red Ball Company’s Cirque in the Snow! The city comes alive as plazas, sidewalks, and…
Presented by The Little Red Ball Company
Live Music
Activity
At the Dome
Featuring
Cedric Lightning and Kris Demeanor
Cree/Stoney Nakoda drummer Cedric Lighting joins with his collaborator, poet, musician and songwriter Kris Demeanor. They’ll share stories, songs and dance along with pow wow…
Presented by High Performance Rodeo
Glow UP!
GLOWful Wanderings and Trails of Light are roaming stiltwork performances that are suitable for all ages. Three Left Feet creates enchantment with LED glow and…
+ 1 more date
Presented by Three Left Feet
L’omelette
Presented by Calgary Folk Music Festival's Block Heater, L’omelette weaves contemporary, colourful, genre-fluid tapestries. Their style darts between prog/new-wave rock rhythms and synth/sax-led dance pop,…
Presented by Block Heater
Tribe Artist Society
Presented by Calgary Folk Music Festival's Block Heater, Tribe Artist Society is an Indigenous-led Hip Hop and arts organization with the mission to help artists…
Presented by Block Heater
Drag on Ice 4
Drag on Ice 4 glides back onto the Eau Claire Ice Lagoon for our FROZEN DISCO XTRAVAGANZA! Headlined by Joey Jay from RuPaul's Drag Race…
Dos Leches – Bring Back the Summer
Dos Leches brings the warmth of summer to Chinook Blast, turning winter into a dance celebration. Expect unforgettable grooves, joyful connection, and a celebration that…
Try Drytooling – Canada’s Next Olympic Event
Join Ice Climbing Canada athletes, Alpine Club of Canada volunteers, and ClimbYYC instructors, to give dry-tooling and ice climbing a try on an awesome setup!…
+ 1 more date
Presented by Alpine Club of Canada, Calgary Section with Ice Climbing Canada
Puppet Stuff Canada
Meet the whimsical characters of Puppet Stuff Canada during Chinook Blast! Visitors From Beyond! (January 31st) There are extraterrestrials among us! These out-of-this-world visitors are discovering…
+ 1 more date
Presented by Puppet Stuff Canada
DJ MollyFi
MollyFi has championed a vibrant nightlife scene through her groundbreaking work with Girls On Decks. A true pioneer in her field, she has solidified her…
DJ Cyber Vvitch
Bryn Juniper is a Butch, Trans, Sapphic musician living and loving in Mohkinstsis, or so called Calgary. Step into the realm of electronic dance with…
Seconds Collective Market
At the Seconds Collective Market, you'll find over 30 vendors selling their best vintage and secondhand goods, food and beverages, a dj and a vintage…
+ 2 more dates
Presented by Seconds Collective
Roving Performers
Lagoon Ice Skating
Live Music
Featuring
Live Ice Carving
To celebrate Lunar New Year and Chinook Blast, the Chinatown BIA—together with funders and sponsors Calgary Arts Developement, Tourism Calgary, the City of Calgary, Calgary…
ImaginAsian Showcase
The ImaginAsian Showcase features the sights, sounds and cultural sensation of Calgary’s diverse Asian Canadian communities. Calgarians will experience the vibrant, dynamic, and diverse genres…
Presented by Asian Heritage Foundation
Serious Family Fun
For its 2026 Chinook Blast festival programming, Calgary Opera will offer a full afternoon of performance and play indoors with Serious Family Fun as its…
Presented by Calgary Opera
LED Performers – Bravo Circus
Performing or Roving with LED Circus Props ( LED hula hoops, LED Poi, LED wings). Based in Calgary, Bravo Circus Studio & Entertainment mixes circus…
+ 1 more date
Presented by Bravo Circus Studio and Entertainment
Chinese Lunar New Year Festival 2026
The Chinese Lunar New Year Festival is a fun event that is educational and inclusive- available to the public regardless of individual age or cultural…
Presented by Chinese Cultural Centre
Blue Jay Sessions: Amped Up!
Blue Jay Sessions: Amped Up! Is a fun, full-band offshoot of the award-winning songwriters' showcase series. This evening will feature three sets of high-energy, original…
Presented by The Blue Jay Sessions
YYC Music Awards Showcase Festival
Join the YYC Music Awards for a vibrant musical sampling of the best Calgary has to offer! The afternoon kicks off with the rootsy sounds…
Presented by YYC Music Awards
Meet and Greet with your Favourite Snow Friends
Join the Snow Sisters, the Reindeer Wrangler and your favorite Snowman Friend as they roam around Chinook Blast! Say Hi, take pictures, and join us…
+ 1 more date
Presented by YYC Princesses
Live Wood and Ice Carving
Live performance sculpting in two different mediums. One is will be a live wood carving performed by Michael Penny. The other will be a live…
World-Class Freestyle Soccer Showcase
Experience a special freestyle soccer performance led by three global icons of the game: Andrew Henderson, 5x World Champion, Jayzinho, world-renowned street baller, and Nick Seyda, World…
Presented by The GOOD Games
Skinny Blaiz and Ray Val
Bringing the beats on Family Day, Ethnik Festivals will be presenting both Skinny Blaiz, Afropop artist, and Ray Val, R&B singer and songwriter, to the…
Presented by Ethnik Festivals
Roving Puppeteers – Festival of Animated Objects
Prepare to be delighted by the surprising and whimsical masks and puppets created and animated by Calgary artists. Children and adults alike will be enthralled…
Presented by Festival of Animated Objects
Bollywood Jam with Dhanak
live vocals, keys, guitar, and dynamic percussion. Our performance blends contemporary South Asian sound with modern pop, creating an immersive atmosphere for all ages. The…
Roving Performers
Live Music
Activity
Creative
Wonders
New Installations Will Illuminate Eau Claire!
Get ready for our biggest spectacle to date! We’ve searched near and far to bring you the best and brightest installations to light up your winter. Featuring projection mapping, LED displays, interactive arches, illuminated swings, stunning structures, and so much more.
Almost all installations are on display every day throughout the festival, including weekdays. Be sure to bring your camera!
Here, Together – Exposure Photo Walk Exhibition
Here, Together, an exhibition curated by Jasmine Piper and Beth Kane. Exhibiting Artists are aina paguergan, Angeline Teoh Simon, Brendan McDonnell, Christina Yao, Danny Luong,…
Presented by Exposure Photography Festival
Out from Under the Shadows3
Studio 34
Out from Under the Shadows3, Winner of Winter City Design Competition, is a sculptural form that utilizes shadow projections to create a greater sense of…
Presented by The City of Calgary
TIC-TAC-TOTE(S)
B!G ART
TIC-TAC-TOTE(S) blends analog nostalgia with digital spectacle, transforming public space into a playful, all-ages experience. Nine massive totes form a towering 3×3 grid, each cube…
Electric Dandelions
Liquid PXL
Introducing Electric Dandelions: magnificent sculptures crafted from sturdy steel, translucent polycarbonate, and vibrant LEDs. By day, these towering structures captivate with their representation of a…
The Cloud Swing
Lindsay Glatz and William Nemitoff
The Cloud Swing is a playful, interactive installation that transforms the simple act of swinging into an illuminated experience of wonder and nostalgia. Suspended from…
Electric Grove
Biolumina
The Electric Grove is a mesmerizing art installation featuring an enchanting array of LED trees. Each tree stands 10 feet tall and features hand sculpted…
Prairie Fire
True North Absurdities
A steel stallion infused with fire. He waits in daylight as a prairie icon, but when night arrives, he roars to life with fiery breath…
Presented by Bird Construction
Crystal Wishes
MAPPERZ
Crystal Wishes is a standalone projection structure that invites Chinook Blast attendees to rest, reflect and wish at a larger-than-life wishing well. Speak from the…
Parallax Wayfinders
LightBoxProjectInc
The Parallax Wayfinder Array is an experiential art installation where shifting perspectives reveal different patterns and shadows. Handcrafted with weather-resistant art panels and full-spectrum LED…
Vaulted Arch Lanterns
Dylan Toymaker
A new series of lanterns bathe this public space in an interlocking puzzle of saturated light patterns.
Where Light Gathers
FUSE33 Makerspace
Where Light Gathers is a collection of glowing selfie stations created in collaboration between Fuse33 Makerspace and local Calgary artists. Each illuminated piece tells a…
Luminisona +
Ideen & Romin Banijamali and Jacob & Simon Schön
Luminisona+ is an immersive art installation where sound and light converge to create a captivating experience. Its design is inspired by the harmony of nature…
Presented by The City of Calgary
The Dome
The Dome is a fully immersive, 360-degree environment through large-scale projection mapping and spatial sound. Inside, audiences are surrounded by image, light, and audio, dissolving…
Presented by Calgary Foundation
LightScape
Wonderlight Creations
LightScape is a large-scale, interactive light installation that invites participants to become co-creators of a glowing community artwork. Using colourful translucent bottles inserted into an…
Ursa Major / Minor
lightpirate
This project reimagines the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor as two cosmic beings: The Great Bear, symbolizing strength and protection, and the Little Bear,…
Frost and Found
Yellow Dubmarine Collective
Frost and Found is an interactive sculpture of light and steel. From afar it is a beacon on a cold winter night, but once inside…
Live on the
Main Stage
Don't miss the biggest shows of the festival!
The RISE UP Calgary Community Outdoor Stage is where you’ll find the beats! We’ll be bringing you a diverse mix of bands, DJs, and cultural showcases. There’s something for everyone on the main stage.
The
Lagoon
Public Skating and Dazzling Performances
Bring your own skates or rent a pair and glide onto the ice at The Lagoon, Chinook Blast’s outdoor skating rink. Or sit back and enjoy performances from Drag on Ice.
Shop the Market
Held Inside the Chinese Cultural Centre
The markets are where you can support local! Brought to you by Seconds Collective and Authentically Indigenous, you’ll find handmade art, Indigenous goods, thrifted looks, cultural displays, and more.
The Beer Garden
Brought to you by 88 Brewery
Step out of the cold and into the cozy atmosphere of our heated beer garden. Featuring a rotating selection of local craft beers, ciders, and non-alcoholic options.
Roving Performers
Live Entertainment throughout the Grounds
Stilt walkers, LED costumes, puppets, dancers and more! Get a chance to interact with our amazing ensemble of performers throughout the Chinook Blast grounds!
Engage at the Grounds
Discover activities and programing
From gloves-on wintery workshops to all-ages activities, you don’t want to miss our programming that celebrates the best of winter!
Accessibility
Highlights
Comfortably Experience Chinook Blast
Chill Out Zone (Sensory Space)Ice Bikes (Bike on The Lagoon)All-Terrain Wheelchairs
The
Dome
Warmth and spectacle in our heated dome.
Step inside The Dome, presented by Calgary Foundation, for a unique experience and a comfortable retreat from the winter chill.
LIve at
the Plaza
A peek at some of the performers taking the stage at chinook blast. Stay tuned for more announcements!
The RISE UP Calgary Community Outdoor Stage is where you’ll find the beats! We’ll be bringing you a diverse mix of bands, DJs, and cultural showcases. There’s something for everyone on the main stage.
Try Drytooling – Canada’s Next Olympic Event
Join Ice Climbing Canada athletes, Alpine Club of Canada volunteers, and ClimbYYC instructors, to give dry-tooling and ice climbing a try on an awesome setup!…
+ 1 more date
Presented by Alpine Club of Canada, Calgary Section with Ice Climbing Canada
Glow UP!
GLOWful Wanderings and Trails of Light are roaming stiltwork performances that are suitable for all ages. Three Left Feet creates enchantment with LED glow and…
+ 1 more date
Presented by Three Left Feet
Puppet Stuff Canada
Meet the whimsical characters of Puppet Stuff Canada during Chinook Blast! Visitors From Beyond! (January 31st) There are extraterrestrials among us! These out-of-this-world visitors are discovering…
+ 1 more date
Presented by Puppet Stuff Canada
Dos Leches – Bring Back the Summer
Dos Leches brings the warmth of summer to Chinook Blast, turning winter into a dance celebration. Expect unforgettable grooves, joyful connection, and a celebration that…
DJ MollyFi
MollyFi has championed a vibrant nightlife scene through her groundbreaking work with Girls On Decks. A true pioneer in her field, she has solidified her…
Tie Dye with Mohar Gupta
February 6 (6–8 PM): Tie Dye Painting at the Chinook Blast Hub: Participants will create vibrant designs directly on paper using vibrant colours with artist…
Dempsey Bolton
Dempsey Bolton bends pop music to his whim, blending elements of alternative, indie, rock and hip hop to deliver a fresh sound. Also he likes…
Prairie Sparks: Local Lights
Prairie Sparks: Local Lights is a dynamic showcase celebrating Calgary’s vibrant arts community through performances by TD Incubator artists and alumni. Presented by Werklund Centre…
Presented by Werklund Centre
Cirque in the Snow
Step into a whole new colourful dimension with The Little Red Ball Company’s Cirque in the Snow! The city comes alive as plazas, sidewalks, and…
Presented by The Little Red Ball Company
Serious Family Fun
For its 2026 Chinook Blast festival programming, Calgary Opera will offer a full afternoon of performance and play indoors with Serious Family Fun as its…
Presented by Calgary Opera
LED Performers – Bravo Circus
Performing or Roving with LED Circus Props ( LED hula hoops, LED Poi, LED wings). Based in Calgary, Bravo Circus Studio & Entertainment mixes circus…
+ 1 more date
Presented by Bravo Circus Studio and Entertainment
Live Ice Carving
To celebrate Lunar New Year and Chinook Blast, the Chinatown BIA—together with funders and sponsors Calgary Arts Developement, Tourism Calgary, the City of Calgary, Calgary…
Latest
News
Warm weather, big weekend energy! Chinook Blast weekend 2 is here!
Warm weather, big weekend energy! Chinook Blast weekend 2 is here! Another Chinook is rolling in, and the…
Accessibility
Accessibility We’ve worked hard to make Chinook Blast enjoyable for everyone! ♿ Most of Eau Claire Plaza is…
Weekend 1 of Chinook Blast is here, let’s go Calgary!
Weekend 1 of Chinook Blast is here, let’s go Calgary! The wait is over! Chinook Blast officially kicks…
Chinook Blast 2026 is Blowing in, and Our Full Lineup is Here!
Chinook Blast 2026 is Blowing in, and Our Full Lineup is Here! Start Planning Your Festival Experience Now!…
The Blast is Back! We hope you’re ready, Calgary! ❄️
The Blast is Back! We hope you’re ready, Calgary! ❄️ Winter in Calgary is about to glow up…
Call for food trucks: Chinook Blast 2026
Call for food trucks: Chinook Blast 2026 Be part of Calgary’s signature winter festival. Chinook Blast returns to…
Calling All Event Creators: Help Shape Calgary’s Signature Winter Festival
Calling All Event Creators: Help Shape Calgary’s Signature Winter Festival Chinook Blast is back from January 30 to…
Calling All Installation/Visual Artists: Transform our Winter Landscape
Chinook Blast Returns in 2026 – Same Winter Magic,New Downtown Setting! Artists of all disciplines, this is your…
Chinook Blast Returns in 2026 – Same Winter Magic,New Downtown Setting!
Chinook Blast Returns in 2026 – Same Winter Magic,New Downtown Setting! Get ready, Calgary, Chinook Blast is back…
Thank You Calgary!
Thank You Calgary! We’ll admit it. This year’s weather was an absolute doozy! But you crazy Calgarians came…
It’s a Chilly One, Folks! – Week 3 of Chinook Blast
It’s a Chilly One, Folks! – Week 3 of Chinook Blast Have you been doing the right dance?…
Important Programming Update for Friday Feb 14 and Saturday Feb 15
Important Programming Update for Friday Feb 14 and Saturday Feb 15 We’ve been holding out for that warm…
