The return of Chinook Blast for its fifth year from January 31 to February 17, 2025, promises to illuminate downtown Calgary! This year’s event features an exciting lineup of live music, thrilling outdoor sports, mesmerizing art installations, and one-of-a-kind cultural experiences—promising something unforgettable for locals and visitors.
“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
The 2025 edition of Chinook Blast will bring vibrant winter experiences to life in a reimagined footprint, spanning Stephen Avenue (from 1st Street SE to 3rd Street SW) and The Confluence Historical Site and Parkland.The city continues to see the strength of collaboration with more than 70 partners creating over 120 events this year across YYC. With eight all NEW art installations to visually delight, three diverse markets to peruse, and a new outdoor sporting hub at The Confluence, this year promises to bring warmth on these cold winter days! The return of festival partners, High Performance Rodeo, Calgary Folk Festival’s Block Heater, and Ethnik Festivals of Arts and Culture, add to the wide array of programming magic this year to transform the city into an art and culture
“As we celebrate the 5th year of Chinook Blast, it’s incredible to see how this festival has grown and evolved. Each year, we’ve built on our success by listening to Calgarians and creating a festival that connects people and brings vibrancy to our city. This year’s lineup is one of our most exciting yet, with new installations, unforgettable performances, and the dynamic energy that makes Calgary’s winters so unique.” -Patti Pon, Chair of Chinook Blast Executive Committee and President and CEO of Calgary Arts Developmenthub.
“The Confluence is the perfect place for community to gather and celebrate winter on this amazing land. We are thrilled to partner with Chinook Blast this year and contribute to all the vitality and fun of this big winter festival that gets people out to enjoy our city and the beautiful winter season. Chinook Blast gets better and better each year, and we are so proud to host the daytime programming on the site.” -Jennifer Thompson, President of The Confluence Historic Site & Parkland
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. For full programming and updates please visit chinookblast.ca or follow @ChinookBlast on social media.