Northwestival Returns!

Join us Sunday December 5!

Warm up to winter by joining us at University District’s fourth annual outdoor festival on the afternoon of Sunday, December 5. We are delighted to be back and to connect as a community once again. Northwestival promises to be packed full of family friendly holiday surprises.

Thanks to the continued generous support of our sponsors Brookfield Residential, Homes by Avi, Truman, Save-On-Foods and other retail partners.  We are proudly supporting  local charity I Can for Kids through admission donations.

Watch the Northwestival video to bring back great memories and build anticipation for what’s to come!

What’s Happening?

It’s time to embrace the chillier season, pack your mittens, and brrrr-ing the whole family together to enjoy an enchanted afternoon of winter fun in the NW Commons Park. 

Gather around a lively fire pit while toasting s’mores, sip hot chocolate while soaking up the sounds of live music or create a chilly and silly keepsake by dressing up for our Frosty Memories photobooth. There’s fun for everyone at Northwestival. 

You can even cuddle a kangaroo!

Live music, dance and stage entertainment will run all afternoon, including returning favourites like the Ice Queen, the Fire Show, and a variety of new musical entertainers. Including our featured headliner The Royal Foundry.

Be sure to visit the Northwest Pole, ice bench and interact with our roaming performers for a photo op. The kids can also get hands-on in the Winter Workshops, with Pinnovate DIY Studios, with  a choice of glitter ornaments, wooden gift tags or adorable gnomes.

Jane Bond BBQ food truck will be onsite with tasty options, and you can take the chill off with a stop by the hot drink and toppings station. Those with a sweet tooth will be sure to flock to Cabane à Sucre or Sugar Creek Kettle Corn Co.

For those looking to cross a few names off of their Christmas list Peak to Prairie Market will be onsite with a selection of local and small business vendors. Take a stroll through the market to discover unique gifts and goods for the holidays, or a festive treat to yourself. 

When curating talent for Northwestival, at University District we keep accessibility and universality top of mind. 

“Many families pass through this festival every year, so we always look for talent that can appeal to a wide range of lifestyles and age groups. We know this community wants fun, they want a holiday atmosphere, and they like to get moving and dance a little,”  says Maureen Henderson, VP Community Experience at University of Calgary Properties Group. 

Northwestival is a combination of free and token-based activities. Tokens can be purchased at the token booth for $1 and activities range from 1-5 tokens each. ATMs are available onsite.

[tweet_dis]To whip up good holiday vibes, here’s just some of what’s happening at Northwestival on Sunday, December 5th from 1-6 pm. [/tweet_dis]

Activities include:

• Live music, dance and stage entertainment
• Fire show
• Roaming performers, including our ever popular Snow Queen. 
• Winter workshops with Pinnovate DIY studios
• Toasty fire pits and S’mores 
• Frosty Memories Holiday Photobooth
• Hot drink station with topping treats to delight
• Cabane à Sucre – maple sugar taffy
• Inflatable axe throwing 
• Ice bench & Northwest pole – perfect for that family photo op!
• Kangaroo cuddles, and so much more!

“For University District, the goal behind Northwestival is to celebrate community connection, and what better time to come together than the start of holiday season, ” says Maureen of University of Calgary Properties Group. “It’s somewhere for community to grow despite the cold and snow, and a fun way to spend an afternoon with family and friends wandering between energetic performances, warming up at fire pits, and taking part in hands-on activities. Admission is by donation to support I Can for Kids. We look forward to welcoming everyone to one of our favourite events!”

Visit the Northwestival web page for full details.

Our Charity Partner

Northwestival is proud to support local charity I Can for Kids. While peanut butter has been a staple and favourite item for admission in years prior, we have had to make a shift due to COVID-19. This year admission is by donation to support I Can for Kids in their mission to help feed children and youth impacted by hunger all year long. Donations allow I Can for Kids to support their grocery gift card program.

Our friends and neighbours from Save-On-Foods will generously match donations, so together let’s show our support for this mighty little organization.

“It’s time to take a fresh approach in how we tackle childhood hunger in Calgary. We’re on it, but we need the community’s help. More than 50,000 kids in our city are experiencing food insecurity every day. The pandemic combined with the holiday season is putting even more pressure on families struggling to make ends meet,” says Bobbi Turko, Co-founder & Executive Director at I Can for Kids.

Learn more about I Can for Kids and donate at icanforkids.ca.