Chinook Blast

Chinook Blast will be heating up our city with a celebration of community, culture, and civic pride. The best of Calgary’s art, music, theatre, sport and recreation will be on display.

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 2026 offers something for everyone.

2026

• Art That Will Light Up the Night! : You don’t want to forget your camera! Our new lineup of installations, brought to you by standout local artists and international showstoppers, will transform Eau Claire Plaza into a sparkling, touch-everything, explore-everywhere, glow-scape.
• Live Entertainment That Will Bring the Heat!: From icy chaos and killer beats to swoon-worthy sets, our outdoor stage and performances are stacked. Plus, our Pillar Festival Partners are bringing some of Calgary’s most unforgettable cultural talent.
• Markets: This year’s markets are moving to the Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre—just steps away from the main hub! Shop Indigenous makers, thrifted treasures, local artists and more.
• 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.
• The Beer Garden: 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: From gloves-on wintery workshops to all-ages activities, you don’t want to miss our programming that celebrates the best of winter!
• Festival Food: Check out our selection of frost-friendly eats from food trucks to local establishments.
• The Dome: Step Inside BIG Art’s Dome for an unique experience and a comfortable retreat from the winter chill.

Who is it for?

All ages

Tickets : Free and ticketed events
How to get tickets?

Buy Online

Date & Time:

January 30 to February 16, 2026

WEEKEND 1 – Electrifying performances ignite Eau Claire Plaza

• Friday, January 30 – High Performance Rodeo kicks off Chinook Blast at the RISE UP Outdoor Community Stage with the dynamic duo Cedric Lightning and Kris Demeanor. Calgary Folk Music Festival’s Block Heater returns with performances from L’omelette and Tribe Artist Society.
• Saturday, January 31 – Drag on Ice 4 returns with a full-on Frozen Disco Extravaganza featuring, for the first time, a queen from RuPaul’s Drag Race U.S. Joey Jay of season 13 takes to the ice with Calgary’s own comedian and drag queen Karla Marx at Prince’s Island Lagoon. Joey Jay will also be doing a meet-and-greet with fans before the show! Then Dos Leches, DJ Molly Fi and DJ Cybervvitch take over the outdoor stage with unforgettable dance music.
• Between the live performances and 14 larger-than-life art installations (open to the public daily Jan. 30–Feb. 16), you’ll find glowing, engaging roving performances from Three Left Feet, Le Cirque de la Nuit and Puppet Stuff Canada, and the opportunity to try drytooling, Canada’s next Olympic Sport, with the Alpine Club of Canada. Then just next door, Seconds Collective Market (Jan. 30–Feb. 1) takes over the Chinese Cultural Centre (197 1 St SW) with the best vintage finds from local vendors.
• Plus skate on Prince’s Island Lagoon! Don’t have your own pair? No problem, the Skate Hut has rentals with Alberta Blue Cross offering the first 50 rentals free on selected days.

WEEKEND 2 – High-energy beats meet immersive cultural experiences

• Friday, February 6 – Eau Claire Plaza will be packed with live performances from Prairie Sparks: Local Lights presented by The Werklund Centre as well as local artists Dempsey Bolton and the Cruz Brothers (DJ Fatrok & DJ C-SIK). Join the National Music Centre at The Dome (sponsored by Calgary Foundation) for the Canadian Song Circle, an outdoor sing-along featuring songs by iconic Canadian artists, try snow tie-dyeing with Mohar Gupta or discover Cirque in the Snow! (SnowGlow Circus) with the Little Red Ball Company. DJ Molly Fi is back, this time spinning the beats at the Lagoon for those who want to skate their hearts out.
• Saturday, February 7 – PK Sound & Friends present – MOVE – an open-air electronic music showcase is sure to heat up the season with deep beats (using PK T8 sound system) and standout local and regional talent including, The Librarian, Esette B2B Jon Delerious, Cary Chang, Safi, DJ Hannah and Dan Solo. In collaboration with Le Cirque de la Nuit, Versions, I Love Techno YYC (ILTYYC), and B!G ART, this vibrant night blends music, art and fire spectacle where friends and family can gather and dance!
• All weekend discover roving performances from Three Left Feet, skate the lagoon or visit the Authentically Indigenous for the Winter Frost: Indigenous Market (Feb. 6–8) at the Chinese Cultural Centre.

WEEKEND 3 – Fest finale packed with family fun

• Friday, February 13 – Calgary Opera will present Serious Family Fun: Little Red Riding Hood, the classic tale brought to life through a delightful and charming children’s opera at The Dome. Asian Heritage Foundation will be taking over the outdoor stage with the ImaginAsian Showcase, featuring over a dozen artists, who will explore diverse genres of music and performances, including a dragon dance, Korean drumming, and martial arts demonstrations.
• To celebrate Lunar New Year and Chinook Blast, the Chinatown BIA presents a live ice sculpture activation (Feb. 6–13), with live carving taking place at Eau Claire Plaza on February 12 and 13. Master ice sculptors from Harbin, China, the world’s largest ice and snow festival, will transform large blocks of ice into striking works of art, with additional sculptures on display throughout Chinatown. This free, family-friendly experience invites visitors to experience the artistry and cultural tradition of ice sculpting as part of Calgary’s winter festival season.
• Saturday, February 14 – On Valentine’s Day, Blue Jay Sessions: Amped Up! will bring Calgary’s favourite singer-songwriters, including Tea Fannie and Alex Hughes, to perform collaborative high-energy sets of love songs and heartbreak anthems.
• Sunday, February 15 – YYC Music Awards, in partnership with JazzYYC, will present a vibrant showcase including Métis/Colombian singer-songwriter Damase Elis, Indigenous techno/electronic artist Sean Beaver, folk-pop phenom Maclayne, and multi-award-winning hip-hop king K-Riz & The Family. Or take a beat and watch live freeform sculpting with wood carving from Michael Penny and ice carving by Marie-Line Gagne. Plus, The GOOD Games will present a high-energy freestyle soccer showcase, led by five-time world champion Andrew Henderson. This dynamic performance blends athleticism, creativity, and modern street-soccer culture as part of the festival’s sport programming.
• Monday, February 16 – Festival of Animated Objects takes over the Plaza with winter-themed roving puppets and masked characters. Ethnik Festivals returns with performances from Skinny Blaiz and Ray Val. Then Bollywood Jam with Dhanak, a high-energy fusion music experience, takes to the stage, followed by DJ Jadé, who will wrap up Chinook Blast with her genre-bending dance music.
• In addition to this back-to-back entertainment, Family Day long weekend at Chinook Blast will also feature engaging all-ages entertainment fit for the whole family including, Bravo Circus (Feb. 13–14) and YYC Princesses (Feb. 15–16).
• With Lunar New Year around the corner, the Chinese Cultural Centre will be home to a Chinese Market and Celebration (Feb. 14–16) which will include dragon and lion dances, multicultural performances, local food vendors, a marketplace, and other festive activities celebrating culture and community.

— Schedule

Venue & Address :

Eau Claire Plaza, 101 Barclay Parade SW, Calgary, AB T2P 4R3