fbpx

The outdoor skating rink in Central Commons Park has opened for the season. On-site skate rentals are now available.

Northwestival Returns!

by University District

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.

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

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.

University District is excited to welcome one and all to Northwestival 2021!

Be sure to bring your mask when you visit. Face coverings are recommended for ages 2+ and are required inside the activity igloos onsite at the festival, in accordance with the City of Calgary bylaws.

Let’s warm up to winter as a community! We’ll see you there.

Follow University District on social media for the latest updates about Northwestival! Share the excitement with your friends and followers too!

Facebook  + InstagramTwitter 


Join the Discussion

Comments are moderated before being posted. Your email address is required but will not be published.

Join our email list for more information and our newsletter.
I'm interested in learning more about:
Popular
Celebrate the Holiday Season at U/D
Everything to Know About Retail Main Street
Celebrating Small Business Week in University District
Discover Dean’s Landing By Rohit Homes – Coming Soon to U/D
See All Blog Posts
2023, A year in review, active, Activity, Age-friendly community, Aging in place, Alberta, Alberta Children's Hospital, All ages, ALT Hotel, Alt Hotels, amenities, Ana Cummings, apartment rental, Aria, Artist, August, Autumn, Bakeries, baking tips, Balcony, Balcony Decor, BBQ, beard grooming, Bike routes, BILD Awards, Block Party, blockbuster movie night, Bookstores, Bragg Creek, Breakfast, Brenda Stafford Foundation, Brenda Strafford Foundation, Brookfield Residential, Brunch, Bubble Tea, Bucket List, Budget, Budget conscious, Builder Launch, Building Industry and Land Development, Business, Calgary, Calgary Activities, Calgary Art, Calgary bakeries, Calgary business, Calgary community, Calgary Drinks, Calgary events, Calgary Fitness, Calgary Hearing, Calgary LRT, Calgary Parks, Calgary Real Estate, Calgary restaurants, Calgary staycation, Calgary tourism, Calgary Trails, Calgary Transit, Calgary Women, Cambridge Manor, Canada, Canada Day, Canmore, Capella, Cartwright lighting & furniture, Celebration, centerpieces, Central Commons, Charcut, charity, cineplex, Classes, Cochrane, comfort food, Community, community festival, Community Living, condo life, condos, connections, contest, cookie baking, cooking, cooking together, Creative, Crystal Creek Homes, Curious Hair, Curious Salon, Date Ideas, Date night, Decor, Decor Shops, Decor Tips, Denim & Smith, Dental, dental care, design styles, Dining, Discounts and Deals, Discovery Centre, DIY, dog park, Dogs, Downsize, downsizing, downsizing tips, Easter, Eco decor, eLearning, Entertainment, environment, events, exercise, Explore, Fall, Fall Decor, fall design, family, Father's Day, Financial, fitness, fitness as we age, food, food waste, Functional Fitness, Garden Maintenance, gardening, gift guide, giving back, golf, Green Calgary, Grey Cup, Group Germain Hotels, Guide to Northwest Calgary, GUILD, gym, hair grooming, Health, Healthy Eating, Healthy Foods, Hearing loss, hobbies, holiday, holiday activities, Holiday Budget, holiday memories, Holiday movies, holiday parties, holiday season, holiday traditions, holiday wines, home, Home Automation, home decor, Home Maintenance, home office, Home organization, Home Ownership, Home Technology, homemade pizza, Homeowners, Homes by Avi, hosting the holidays, housing, I Can for Kids, IBI Group, Ice Cream, Ice Cream Shops, Ice Rink, inclusive, Interior Design, Interior Design for your pets, Interior Design Tips, interior lighting, International Womens Day, Isolation, Jayman, Jayman BUILT, Kananaskis, kids learning, Level Playing Field, lighting, local, local business, local good, Love on Main Street, love your pet, made in Calgary, Magna, Maple, Market Wines, McKinley Burkart, meal prep, meals, mens grooming, mental health, mindful spaces, Mother's Day Brunch, Movies at home, moving, multi-generational, Nature, New at UD, New homes, New Projects, New Resident, New Retailers, Night Market, North Calgary, North Hill Mall, North Pond, Northwest Calgary, Northwest Calgary Brunch, Northwest Commons Park, Northwest neighbour, Northwestival, nutrition tips, NW Calgary, Office, Olympic Oval, online learning, Orangetheory, Organization, outdoors, Park n' Play Design, Parking, Parks, Partners, party hosting tips, Patio Decor, pet care, pet love, Photography, Picnic, plant, plant care, play space, Playcore National Demonstration Site, playground, Programs, puppy love, rafting, real estate, recipes, redecorating, rent to own, rentals, restaurant, Retail, Retail Main Street, retailers, Rightsize, Romance, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Save-On-Foods, seasonal maintenance, senior health, Senior living, Seniors, sensory gadgets, shop local, Skating, Smaller space living, Smart Home, Sports, Spring, Spring Cleaning, Staples, Staycation, Summer Activities, Summer Food, summer getaways, Summer Recap, sustainable design, table setting, tablescape, Thanksgiving, The Space Reclaimers, things to do, tips, Tips and Tricks, tourism calgary, townhome, townhome living, Townhomes, townhouse living, Trails in Northwest Calgary, travel, travel alberta, TREC Dental, U/D, UCalgary, UD Events, UD Life, UDLife, University District, University District Dental, University of Calgary, Urban Balcony, urban dog park, Urban Garden, Urban Patio Decor, Valentines Day, Vegan Cuisine, Vegan Food, Vendors, vermicomposting, Village Ice Cream, Volunteer, Volunteerism, Walking, West Campus Development Trust, Wine, wine experience, Winefest, Winsport Zipline, winter, winter activities, winter festival, Winter Fitness, winter fun, winter memories, winter pet care, winter pet care tips, winter traditions, winter warm up, Winter workout, women grooming, Women Leaders, workouts, Yard, year in review, YYC Events, YYC Hot Chocolate Fest

Discover NW Calgary's most interesting places, people and things

Visit Our Channel

Looking for something to do in NW Calgary?

Check Out Our Event Calendar

The University District blog is a resource for Calgarians who want to live, work, play, visit or buy in the northwest. We will provide you with information, stories, news and a closer look at the things that matter so you can live a more inspired, active and connected life in NW Calgary at University District… Life works here.