The Best Festivals and Fairs in Alberta this Winter

Edmonton’s scenic river valley provides a seriously impressive backdrop to this popular family-oriented festival. Held over 10 full days in the city’s Hawrelak Park, it’s considered one of the highlights of the region’s busy winter calendar, featuring a huge variety of entertainment, including ice skating, snow sculptures, horse-drawn sleighs and live performances. Last year, more than 85,000 visitors attended, and that number is expected to be matched, perhaps even exceeded, this time around. Watch out for the mesmerising Fire Sculpture exhibition, a kaleidoscopic melange of burning sculptures and effigies that entrances visitors – it’ll help keep you warm, too. (Photo: Marc J. Chalifoux)

When it comes to the slopes, there’s no better sight than vast numbers of cross-country skiers hurtling across the snow – it can almost look like performance art at times. Visitors to Alberta next February have the chance to see this very spectacle at the Birkebeiner Ski Festival. Canada’s largest classic cross country ski event, it’s attended by more than 1,400 skiing enthusiasts who can test themselves across multiple distances. There’s also plenty of après-ski events to keep you entertained, including a Nordic Fair and a Viking Feast Celebration featuring a buffet dinner, entertainment and festival slideshows. (Photo: Canadian Birkebeiner Ski Festival)

What better way to beat the Alberta cold snap than by getting the hips swinging and toes tapping to some great music? The Tongue on the Post Festival offers five days of top quality folk music by a range of local and national acts. The performances – or café concerts as the organisers are describing them – are staged at venues across the town of Medicine Hat with the final two days centring around the Historic Medalta Potteries. Headline acts for this year include Ryland Moranz, Gordie Tentree with Jaxon Haldane, and Samson’s Delilah. (Photo: Cal Bannow)

Given that Canada is spread over such a vast expanse of land, it’s perhaps no surprise that RVs – or Recreational Vehicles to give them their full name – are such a popular mode of transport for consumers across the country. It’s also why the annual Edmonton RV Expo is so well attended. For four days each year, the event showcases over 400 vehicles, including tent trailers, travel trailers, fifth wheels, motor homes and diesel pushers in front of an audience of RV enthusiasts and prospective buyers. This is an important trade fair for the RV sector that offers a fascinating insight into the world of mobile homes. (Photo: Edmonton RV Expo)

Light up your winter by attending this magical event at Edmonton Valley Zoo. Hosted by the Valley Zoo Development Society, this annual event puts on a spectacular exhibition of artistic light installations, designed to illuminate the spirit of Edmonton. As well as the captivating displays, there’s also live music, entertainers, ice skating, hot chocolate and much more. This year’s special event evenings include Animal Attraction, VIP Night and a special Media Night. (Photo: Zoominescence – A Festival of Light)

This cultural celebration brings together a number of local ethnic communities and invites them to immerse themselves in the captivating beauty of winter. Now in its tenth year and held over a full weekend, visitors come to embrace the cold northern climate by melding artistic panache with authentic winter games. Be sure to wrap up warm and bring your A-game. (Photo: Deep Freeze: A Byzantine Winter Festival)

This show is one for boat enthusiasts and lovers of the great outdoors in general, with a vast range of boats, marine products and fishing, hunting and hiking gear on display. Taking place within a large convention centre, visitors can attend product demos and presentations by renowned outdoor adventurers, while kids will love the “catch and release” game at the fishing pond as well as enjoying the chance to interact with rare and endangered birds. (Photo: InTouch News via Flickr)

While enduring the biting cold is all part of the adventure of visiting Alberta during the winter months, the annual FrostFest attempts to make it that bit more bearable by hosting a variety of action-packed events for one full day in February. The idea behind the festival is to promote active living – undeniably the best way to keep your toes warm, except perhaps for snoozing in front of a log fire – as well as improving the community spirit. Activities include cross country skiing, snowshoeing, skating, markets, free indoor games, laser tag and mini golf. (Photo: Frostfest)

You can get into the festive mood at this popular Christmas-themed event that offers a great day out for the family. The choice of activities is excellent, with a horse drawn hay ride through real snow, a craft tent, Christmas carols, a bonfire and a candle luminary maze all on offer. It’s a secure environment, so you can even send the kids off to do their own thing while you savour a nice cup of hot coco, an apple cider or even a deliciously sweet maple syrup taffy. This is surely what Christmas is all about. (Photo: Devon – Christmas in the Park)

Those of us who live in the urban jungles of northern Europe will be familiar with nursing pints of beer in cosy pubs or, if the weather’s good, standing on street corners as the traffic goes by. But imagine enjoying delicious craft beer while surrounded by some of the world’s most stunning natural scenery? This is what’s possible at the Banff Craft Beer Festival, which comes to Alberta this November. Taking place at the Cave and Basin National Historic Site, the festival is held partially outdoors against the backdrop of the spectacular Rocky Moutains with its pristine wilderness and glacier fresh waters. There’ll be great beer and food in equal measure, served by local breweries, pubs and restaurants. And on this occasion, there’s no need for beer goggles, because everywhere you look there’s jaw-dropping beauty. (Photo: cjtoby)

This free outdoor walk-through Christmas light display is a sight to behold. As well as the visual drama, there’s train rides, live state entertainment, Santa’s workshop, fire pits, miniature train rides, kids’ crafts, bonfires and much, much more. Organised by volunteers, the annual event takes place within the scenic environs of a 5-acre park and is a great way to enter the spirit of the season. Wrap up warm, grab yourself a cup of hot chocolate and enjoy the show. (Photo: Dave Smith via Flickr)

In other cities, the build-up to Christmas is normally signified by street lights and decorations, but in Edmonton they go one step further by creating a magical assortment of lavishly designed trees. The visual spectacle, which helps raise money for a range of important medical causes, takes place in the grounds of the University Hospital and attracts large numbers each year. As well as the trees, there’s a whole host of activities for both adults and kids, such as shopping areas, story- telling, cookie decorating, plus extra ticketed events including a gala lunch, a fashion show and breakfast with Santa. (Photo: Festival of Trees)