6 Best Winter Activities in Edmonton: Festivals, Ice Sculptures & More (2024)

The city of Edmonton hosts more than 30 fun and exciting festivals every year, with themes focusing on sports, film, music, theatre, and more. These exciting events are major attractions for tourists and locals and are well-known throughout Canada, inviting all who are interested in fun and those keen on discovering the wonderful culture of this fine city. Here are six Edmonton winter festivals taking place this upcoming season.

Deep Freeze: A Byzantine Winter Festival (January 20 & 21)

With the theme of "Under the Toad Stool," kick off 2024 at Deep Freeze, one of the most interesting winter festivals happening at the coldest time of the year. Explore the Deep Freeze enchanted forest filled with unique sculptures by experienced artists. A village, delicious food, and so much more will await you this year. From ice sculptures to street hockey and light installations, it's the perfect way to celebrate the new year. 

One of the most memorable parts of the festival is the Deep Freezer Race, where teams of five race on deep freezers on skis. Other amenities include an artisan market, visual arts gallery, and live music and dance performances.

Chiseled (January 18–20)

Chiseled is one of Edmonton's coolest winter events. Located at the ICE District Plaza, it features seven teams of international ice carvers who have 34 hours to carve their blocks of ice into a stunning sculpture. The pieces are then displayed until the end of February for visitors to enjoy and vote on.

Flying Canoë Volant (January 31–February 3)

Discover music, light, dance, and so much more at the Flying Canoe Festival at Mill Creek Ravine. This night celebration highlights the area's history and provides attendees with an experience they won't forget. There will be food for purchase, and canoe races take place on February 2 and 3. Activities include cultural experiences, a snow slide, live music, ice carving workshops, and much more.

Canadian Birkebeiner Ski Festival (February 9–24)

The upcoming Canadian Birkebeiner Ski Festival is a premier event in Alberta. This festival will provide the opportunity for cross-country skiing with multiple events and distances. You can start simple with a short family ski or a slightly longer "fun ski" of seven kilometres, but if you're daring, you can go all the way up to 55 kilometres! Get ready to visit Cooking Lake in Blackfoot Provincial Recreation Area to enjoy the snow and appreciate one of the oldest sports of the season.

Apart from skiing, the festival also includes a Vikings' Feast (February 10 at The Broadmoor Clubhouse), where visitors are invited to eat, drink, and share stories of Birkies. 

Silver Skate Festival (February 9–19)

Held this year at Laurier Park, the Silver Skate Festival provides all kinds of winter fun. The event has been around for over 30 years and is normally held at Hawrelak Park, but it's closed for renovations, hence the location change. Come out and enjoy skating, live music, recreation, art, and more! 

One of the popular spots of the festival is the Snow Sculptures Garden, where teams (sometimes from around the world!) create unique sculptures from huge blocks of snow. There's also a Folk Trail that features an outdoor installation created by local artists that accompanies a short story.

Winefest (February 23-24)

Winefest at the Edmonton Convention Centre is one of the best events in the city for wine throughout the year. This event is all-inclusive and allows attendees to try all types of wines. There will be hundreds of options available for sampling, including white, port, sparkling, dessert, reds, and more. Along with wine, there will be plenty of hors d'oeuvres for attendees. There are three sessions for visitors to choose from:

• February 23, 7–10 p.m.
• February 24, 2–5 p.m.
• February 24, 7–10 p.m.

Not only can you sample the wines, but you'll also get to take home a Riedel wine glass.

Get Ready to Celebrate Winter in Edmonton

If you're looking for winter festivals in Edmonton to begin your year, these selections are just a few of the best. All of them provide plenty of fun and unique winter activities, so make sure to add them to your calendar.