Chinook Blast 2025 Ignites Calgary’s Winter Spirit with Winterrrrific Lineup of Events
Calgary’s signature winter festival returns for its fifth year, showcasing arts, sports, music, and more.
Calgary, AB, December 13, 2024 – Chinook Blast 2025 is back for its fifth year, running from January 31 to February 17, 2025. This annual celebration has firmly established itself as a must-attend winter tradition, drawing Calgarians and visitors to experience Calgary and its downtown in a whole new way.
This year’s festival promises to dazzle with a lineup of events that highlight the best of Calgary’s creativity and community spirit. Featuring a dynamic mix of live music, outdoor sports, captivating art installations, and unique cultural experiences, Chinook Blast 2025 offers something for everyone.
“Winter is a season that begs participation and we answer the call with gusto. Now in its fifth year, Chinook Blast is gaining national and international recognition as a must-attend winter festival. Starting January 31st, bundle up and take part in this year’s incredible lineup of outdoor sports, performances, and art installations.“
– Mayor Jyoti Gondek
“Chinook Blast has become a cornerstone of Calgary’s winter identity, celebrating the vibrant talent and creativity that define our city. As we mark the festival’s fifth year, we’re excited to share an incredible lineup that highlights the power of community collaboration. We invite Calgarians and visitors to embrace the magic of winter and create lifelong memories together!”
– Patti Pon, Chair of Chinook Blast, and President and CEO of Calgary Arts Development
Chinook Blast Core Programming in 2025
Discover Chinook Blast’s New Festival Footprint – Stephen Avenue
With feedback from past years’ attendees expressing a desire for a more concentrated and cohesive experience and Olympic Plaza being under construction, we’ve reimagined the Chinook Blast footprint for 2025. In partnership with Calgary Downtown Association, Chinook Blast will transform four blocks of the iconic Stephen Avenue into a vibrant and immersive winter wonderland (1st Street SE to 3rd Street SW). This partnership adds another layer of excitement for families and anyone looking to embrace the winter magic of vivid lights, mesmerizing art, live performance, and family friendly excitement on the weekends.
Three Weekends of Markets
This year, Chinook Blast welcomes two new market partners: Art Spot Inc. with their Under $200 Art Show and Authentically Indigenous. Alongside the Asian Heritage Foundation, these markets will offer festival-goers an extraordinary blend of shopping, culture, and community spirit. Held at a new location, The Pioneer, these markets promise a truly unique and unforgettable experience for all.
Seven New Art Installations!
Stephen Avenue will be transformed into an art lover’s paradise with seven never-before-seen installations debuting exclusively at Chinook Blast. From Brian Faubert’s shadow mural artwork to Tonya Hart’s piece INFRA, composed of adult-sized wolf sculptures, these works highlight the incredible talent of our local artists. Each piece will have you snapping photos and striking poses for unmissable Instagram moments.
Live experiences and performances on Stephen Avenue
The footprint may look a little different, but the diverse lineup of artists and performances continues! Along the street, take in live music and roving performers. You might even come face-to-face with a life-size puppet! These vibrant showcases will ignite excitement and are sure to create a warm, electric atmosphere, promising an unforgettable experience for everyone!
All-New Winter Sport Hub
The Confluence will be the new hub for daytime and sports programs. Whether it’s skating, cross-country skiing, outdoor activities, or sports programs, this is the ultimate destination for thrills, joy, and memorable family moments.
The Confluence celebrates the wonder of winter with ice skating and cross-country skiing on the site, complete with food and beverage options! Once you’ve had your fill outside, come inside to warm up with winter-themed movies, craft sessions, a poetry reading or a haiku writing workshop.
Sport Calgary is bringing back their Sport Calgary Day at The Confluence. For this 4th iteration, visitors will get to learn, watch and dive into the excitement of unique winter activities on and off ice with try-out opportunities for free!
Drag on Ice 3! – The Cabaret Company is back, back, back again for 2025! Hosted by Karla Marx and starring Kaos (Canada’s Drag Race Season 4), Addi Pose, Dogii Chow and more, Drag on Ice will feature stunning drag performances at The Confluence.
Stay, Dine, and Celebrate!
Turn your festival adventure into a full weekend escape! Calgary’s hotels and restaurants are rolling out exclusive deals and packages to keep the fun going. Whether you’re visiting from out of town or planning a staycation, the winter vibe doesn’t stop at the festival.
Chinook Blast Festival Partners Return!
High Performance Rodeo kicks off the new year with an extraordinary showcase of theatre, music, dance, and multidisciplinary art. Experience three exhilarating weeks featuring over 190 talented artists and a spectacular lineup with 28 productions and 10 free events, from heart-wrenching marionette masterclasses to riotous clowning and unconventional book club meetings. January 14–February 2
Block Heater, powered by ATB. Calgary’s dynamic winter music festival is back, celebrating a decade of ice-melting programming, with an eclectic mix of independent artists from the local scene, Canada and the globe. Experience magical performances at downtown venues, with a spectacular lineup featuring Kathleen Edwards, Basia Bulat, Black Mountain, TEKE::TEKE and more! February 14–15
Ethnik Festival returns to celebrate the rich traditions of Calgary’s Afro-Canadian and Caribbean communities. This vibrant cultural gathering will showcase an impressive array of talent from Calgary, across Canada, and around the world, spotlighting creativity and connection. February 21 – Calgary Food War @ Carya Village Commons East Village. February 22 – Main Festival Celebration @ The Genesis Centre Northeast Calgary.
Additional Must Visit Events
This winter, East Village invites you to embrace the season with unforgettable experiences that celebrate the beauty, coziness, and adventure of the colder months. Every day after sunset until February 17, delight in a wintertime short story exhibit that moves you through four locations in the heart of East Village with Journey Through the Stars. After which, strap on your cross-country skis and hit the East Village Nordic Loop, and then warm your toes by the fire pit at the Hygge Hut.
National Music Centre
On February 8, in celebration of Black History Month, the National Music Centre will present a special event spotlighting the evolution of Black Canadian music, stay tuned for lineup. Visit Studio Bell on Family Day, February 17, for a jam-packed day of musical fun for all ages! Admission is free. Explore five floors of interactive activities, National Music Centre’s latest exhibitions, and enjoy live performances, including a headlining set from a local favourite – soon to be revealed!
Murmuration at WinSport Event Centre is an adrenaline rush for the whole family!
Fascinating in their precision, enthusiasm and virtuosity, the artists of Le Patin Libre are faster on their skates than ever! Their new work – inspired by the mysterious phenomenon of flocking birds – is choreographed from simple algorithms that are made more and more complex: gliding, darting, and moving in unison, Murmuration is a high-speed performance on ice! Friends and Family discount – 15% off for groups of four or more! Discount applied automatically at checkout. Presented by Arts Commons Presents. February 12
Exposure Photography Festival
The annual Exposure Photography Festival celebrates the art of photography by featuring exhibitions from internationally acclaimed artists as well as emerging and established talent from Alberta. This vibrant event serves as a dynamic hub for photographers, art enthusiasts, curators, and photography professionals worldwide to connect and engage.
Sport Fans: Your Favourites Return
ISU Speed Skating World Cup
Top skaters return to the fastest ice in the world! Long track speed skaters from over 3 countries return to Calgary’s Olympic Oval for the third ISU World Cup Speed Skating event of the season. Tickets are on sale now, don’t miss your chance to experience the mind-blowing speed in person! January 24 – 26
Snow Rodeo FIS Freeski Halfpipe World Cup
Experience the thrill as WinSport’s Canada Olympic Park hosts the world’s top freestyle skiers. This family-friendly event promises jaw-dropping action in the legendary halfpipe, where elite athletes will showcase their gravity-defying tricks and precision stunts. Whether you’re a dedicated freeski fan or just looking for an unforgettable winter outing, Snow Rodeo is the place to be. February 12–16
Snow Rodeo FIS Snowboard Slopestyle & Halfpipe World Cups
The Snow Rodeo is back; bringing the double header action to Winsport Calgary Olympic Park with a FIS Halfpipe World Cup on Friday, February 21st and the FIS Slopestyle World Cup on Saturday, February 22nd! Don’t forget your cowboy hat and saddle up for the big show as the world’s best throwdown at the fifth edition of the Snow Rodeo. February 21 – 22
The Calgary TELUS Convention Centre will once again be offering restroom facilities for festival-goers. Our official hotel partner, Calgary Marriott Downtown Hotel, will be offering exceptional hospitality and serving as a hosting venue for the festival.
Chinook Blast’s Impact
Chinook Blast is a vibrant community-driven initiative powered by key partners The City of Calgary, Calgary Arts Development, Calgary Economic Development, and Tourism Calgary. The festival offers an exciting blend of free and ticketed arts and culture events, sports activities, and one-of-a-kind experiences.
The 2024 festival welcomed more than 433,000 attendees and generated an impressive $15.7 million in economic impact. It also saw participation from over 1,700 creative makers, businesses and partners, with 200+ of those businesses supporting programming and logistics, and 20 non-profits in the festivities.
With a focus on collaboration and inclusivity, Chinook Blast continues to bring together local organizations, artists, and businesses to celebrate winter like never before. The full programming for Chinook Blast will be released in mid-January 2024. In the meantime, please visit chinookblast.ca for more information.
Chinook Blast Assets here.
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.
About The City of Calgary
The City of Calgary’s approach to Winter in Calgary celebrates all the city has to offer during the winter months. From winterizing public spaces to enhancing economic, social and cultural opportunities, Winter in Calgary aims to make the most of the season for residents, visitors and businesses alike. Learn more about how to embrace winter in Calgary at Calgary.ca/LoveWinter. For media inquiries, contact media.relations@calgary.ca 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. They 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. Their 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 offer a wealth of information to help everyone succeed and we tirelessly promote Calgary, in Canada and around the world. We’re exhilarated about our role in shaping and sharing Calgary’s story and we’re proud to be part of the energy. For more information, please visit our website at www.calgaryeconomicdevelopment.com.
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
Laura Huculak
e. info@chinookblast.ca
p. 403-993-5120