11 Must-do Winter Festivals in Alberta
Bundle up! We’re coming into winter festival season in Alberta. It’s time to get outside, enjoy the winter months, and find magic in snow and ice. We’ve scoured the province for the best winter festivals, with family friendly winter activities in Alberta. From road trips winter festivals in Edmonton, to Edmonton winter festivals that can be enjoyed right in our own backyard - we’ve got the list you need for family fun this winter in Alberta.
Here are the 13 Must-do Winter Festivals in Alberta - 2024
Downtown Winterval Festival
December 1-2, 2023
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Why you’ll love it: The Winterval Festival is the newest Edmonton winter festival to celebrate winter coming to the city. Downtown Edmonton will be alive with live music through free outdoor concerts, hot chocolate and cabane a sucre, beer gardens, Christmas markets and sleigh rides through the downtown core.
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Lake Louise Ice Magic
January 2024
Location: Lake Louise, Alberta
Why you’ll love it: Ice Magic is an iconic winter festival with ice carving talent from around the globe. You’ll love skating on the frozen lake, around an ice castle. For magic without the busy festival, you can visit the ice sculptures and castle on the frozen lake after the festival has finished.
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Jasper in January
January 12-18, 2024
Location: Jasper, Alberta
Why you’ll love it: Jasper in January brings the town of Jasper to life during the winter months. It’s a magical way to celebrate winter with winter sports, try-it sessions, winter hikes and family-friendly activities throughout the town.
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Banff Snow Days Festival
January 19 - February 4, 2023
Location: Banff, Alberta
Why you’ll love it: Giant snow sculptures through the town of Banff complement the carvings made from ice at Lake Louise. The snow days play zone features curling, a sliding hills, fat tire bike track, winter activity rentals and is open every day during the festival - a fantastic place to gather for families.
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Deep Freeze Festival
January 20-21, 2024
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Why you’ll love it: What other festival can you find races in an actual deep freezer? The Deep Freeze Festival is a must-do during the winter months in Edmonton because it’s packed full of free winter events for the entire family - but seriously, don’t skip the races.
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Flying Canoe Volant
January 31 - February 3, 2024
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Why you’ll love it: At Flying Canoe Volant you’ll walk through a story time of lights, installations and art at a festival in the heart of the river valley. It’s a wonderful, wonderful way to spend four days celebrating local culture and storytelling in Edmonton.
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Chinook Blast Festival
February 2-19, 2024
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Why you’ll love it: Installations, performances, glowing lights and a winter festival that brings the heart of the city to life, Chinook Blast is a must-do Calgary winter festival.
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Ice Dragon Boat Festival
February 16-18, 2023
Location: Sylvan Lake
Why you’ll love it: This is a dragon boat festival to beat all dragon boat festivals - on ice! It’s something brand new, and a really cool way to explore the winter. Come cheer on a team, or take part and join!
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Sliver Skate Festival
February 9-19, 2024
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Why you’ll love it: Silver Skate Festival is Edmonton’s longest running winter festival and is packed full of family fun. Don’t skip the fire sculptures as a way to keep warm, and see something magical in the city.
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Sylvan Lake Winterfest
February 17-20, 2023
Location: Sylvan Lake, Alberta
Why you’ll love it:
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Frost Fest Winter Festival
February 2024, tbd
Location: Slave Lake, Alberta
Why you’ll love it: Slave Lake is one of the underrated winter destinations in Alberta. The Frost Fest features a snow fort building contest, an element that your kids are going to love watching and taking part in.
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Glow Fest
February 2024, tbd
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Why you’ll love it: Glow Fest is Calgary’s newest festival and is designed to light up the long, cold winter nights in Calgary. With glowing and lit-up installations through the city, it gives Nuit Blanche with Calgary culture.
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