Considered one of the city’s coolest festivals—literally, the annual outdoor event taking place February 8 to 18 has taken on a life of its own since its inception 20 years ago. Originally hosted in the heart of downtown on the icy surface of Olympic Plaza, the ten-day festival has since grown to encompass almost all quadrants of the city.

Today it is one of the most popular family-oriented events in Calgary, says Jeff Hodgson, chair of the Calgary Winterfest Foundation. Every year thousands of people flock to leisure centres and places like Fort Calgary to participate in the festival’s various activities.

“Calgarians have a tendency to hibernate in the winter and one of the mandates of Winterfest is to get people out of the house and doing things,” he says. “There are a lack of festivals, events, and programs in the winter and it’s challenging to host (a festival) because you’re dealing with a lot of outdoor activities.”

A byproduct of the 1988 Winter Olympics, Winterfest was created by the City of Calgary and the Olympic Development Association. Thanks to the financial success of the winter games a legacy fund was created to support programs like Winterfest and its foundation.

Fortunately for Winterfest February’s cold weather hasn’t deterred people from marking their calendars and heading outside. Working with Winterfest for more than a decade, Lillias Skinner says she’s seen a marked increase in yearly attendance, largely thanks in part to the economic and residential boom the city has experienced in recent years.

With an influx of new developments in areas such as the East Village, Mission, and Kensington attracting condo owners both young and old, more and more people are looking for ways to stay entertained and on budget. Skinner says Winterfest is one of the only free festivals the city has to offer.

“Most of the other (festivals) you have to pay for, and not only is this one free but it provides activities in the winter when things (in the city) slow down,” she says.

“Every year I do evaluations of our programs and the common theme I hear from people is that they can come with their kids and it doesn’t cost them anything.”

Skinner’s history with the festival began in 1994 when she joined the staff of Winterfest. After retiring in 2000, she returned as a board member. However, she says this year could be her last as she considers trading in her parka and boots for warmer climes south of the border.

Hodgson says it is through the support of community partners and associations such as Fort Calgary, Heritage Park, Canada Olympic Park, and Village Square Leisure Centre that it’s able to host free events. “It’s all about making these places more accessible to people. It’s a great way to showcase some of Calgary’s attractions,” says Hodgson.

Things kick off officially this year on February 9, when for the first time Fort Calgary hosts the official Winterfest launch with its annual carnival. Other activities throughout the festival include the Seniors’ Follies at Heritage Park, a multicultural celebration at Village Square, and Calgary Board of Education’s snow day events for kids and families.

Calgary isn’t the only Canadian city providing an alternative to the winter blues. For more than a century Quebec City has hosted the world’s largest winter carnival, Carnaval de Quebec, attracting tourists from around the globe to its extravagant and colourful festival.