Chinook Blast is Calgary’s winter festival, running from late January into mid-February with large-scale light art, live music, winter sports and family activities.
About
Chinook Blast turns winter into an excuse to go outside. Big light art installations light up the festival hub at Eau Claire Plaza, with live music and performances, winter sports, skating and family activities across the two and a half weeks. Partner venues across the city add their own programming to the mix.
It launched in 2021 as a six-week winter celebration, put together by founding partners including Calgary Arts Development, Tourism Calgary, the City of Calgary and the Calgary Downtown Association. The idea was to pull several of the city’s established winter festivals and events under one banner. The 2026 edition was the sixth, and it moved into the newly renovated Eau Claire Plaza as its new home.