Jumpstart your new year with these 9 Alberta, BC winter 2023 events

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Get your party hats, noisemakers and dancing shoes ready! After a busy summer season getting back into the swing, 2023 is set to be the year when concerts, events and festivals return in a big way. So let's ring in the new year, and reset for an even bigger year ahead.

10 Alberta and BC winter events for January, February

Putting on festivals through the winter in Western Canada means adapting to snow and cooler temperatures. But that just means more creativity gets into the mix, and these Alberta and BC festivals have it in spades. Here are five Alberta and four BC events you'll want to put on the schedule for your new year.

Alberta events 

Jan 13 - 29: Jasper in January, Jasper AB
Start your new year right with some skiing! The classic Jasper in January brings deals on skiing and snowboarding, accommodations and special events around Jasper. There's pond hockey, wine tastings and a big street party! Start planning now for #JinJ.

Jan 14 - 16: Grande North Winter Fest, Grande Prairie AB
Into its second year, this new festival takes over downtown Grande Prairie and turns it into a winder wonderland, with DJ skating parties, crokicurl, ice slide and a beer gardens, and more. And to top it off, a concert headlined by Canadian rock icons 54-40! (You can get tickets to all the concerts at Bonnett's Energy Centre here.)

Winterruption YEG brings new music, comedy and live wrestling to Edmonton this January.

Jan 25 - 29: Winterruption YEG, Edmonton AB
Music, comedy and live wrestling are just the start, with this wild winter weekend that champions the arts and diversity. Headliners include F****ed Up, Pierre Kwenders, and RuPaul Drag Race star Kornbread "The Snack" Jete. 

Feb 9 - 12: Block Heater YYC, Calgary AB
Calgary cranks up the heat the city’s annual winter music fest that will get you stomping your feet. 

Feb 10 - 12: Jasper Beer Festival, Jasper AB
More craft fun with Alberta Beer Fests, this time in the cozy environs of the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. Different setting and new vendors, same great tastes and good times!

BC events

Jan 19 - Feb 5: PuSH International Performing Arts Festival, Vancouver BC
Looking to fill those cold, dark nights of January with some entertainment? At PuSH<, you'll find an incredible array of performances spanning dance, theatre, music, and multimedia shows featuring a diversity of artists.  

Jan 20 - 22: The Northern Backcountry Connection, Smithers BC
Outdoor enthusiasts will love this one! This three-day event serves up educational events, community events and entertaining sessions to get you prepped for hitting the backcountry in winter. 

Feb 2 - 13: Vernon Winter Carnival, Vernon BC
Your Vernon double-header includes a nordic or downhill skiing visit to SilverStar, and then the Vernon Winter Carnival for all your apres adventures: a concert headlined by The Reklaws, local food and wine tastings, an international snow sculpture competition and more!

Read up on how to winter in Vernon and get a taste for the carnival experience here to help you get planning your Vernon doubleheader.

There are over 130 events to choose from during the 10 days of the festival, you can find links to tickets in their Facebook post here:

 

Feb 17 - 20: High on Ice Winter Festival, Fort St. John BC
Like Grande Prairie in Alberta, BC's Fort St. John sits at a northern latitude that makes winter culture a given. See how they do it up here during their annual winter festival, with ice sculpture, snow playgrounds and entertainment.