About

WELCOME TO WINTERRUPTION YEG

Winterruption YEG is Edmonton’s premiere winter music and arts festival in Downtown Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Started in 2019 in conjunction with Winterruption festivals in Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg, and Calgary’s Big Winter Classic, Winterruption YEG works closely with the local business and the arts community of Edmonton. The mission of the festival is to provide an inclusive, diverse and representative showcase of music, drag and comedy in a winter setting in downtown Edmonton.

The Winterruption YEG festival takes place January in Edmonton. The multi-venue music and arts festival rolls out in multiple venues in downtown Edmonton. In addition to inside events, Winterruption features a number of free outdoor activities in the downtown core. 

Started in conjunction with Saskatoon and Regina Winterruption festivals, and Calgary’s Big Winter Classic, Winterruption YEG hopes to work closely with the arts community of Edmonton and greater Western Canadian winter arts festivals to create a truly unique festival experience. Using the leverage of the past five years of Winterruption SK and Big Winter Classic Calgary, Producer Brent Oliver (Sidetrack Cafe, Foundation Concerts, UP+DT Festival) will to share talent and resources with other winter partners in Edmonton and throughout the West.

With event prices ranging from free to reasonably priced weekend wristbands, the aim of the community winter arts festival is inclusivity and promotion of the arts in a snowy setting. Every show will also be subject to a safe and inclusive space policy, and a number of events will be geared towards all ages and family communities, as well as 18+. Programming will be diverse and inclusive, in genre, gender, sexuality, age and culture.

In 2024, Winterruption YEG’s 4th annual event was quite simply its best festival to date. Boasting over 80 artists from around the world. Using 10 local venues, the weekend amassed its best attendance to date, along with social interactions and return on investment for audience members, artists, partners and sponsors.

OUR PARTNER FESTIVALS

Winterruption SK is the OG Winterruption of the prairies. Founded in 2016 by the Broadway Theatre, they have grown to +25 live shows (music, comedy, theatre, dance, podcasts and more) in 9 Saskatoon venues, as well as a number of excellent, free outdoor events. In the longest, coldest, darkest month of the year we are giving thousands of people great reasons to leave their house and brave the prairie cold.

Winter in Manitoba can be a long, cold, dark time. But if the rumours are true, Winnipeg is filled with hearty people who actually still live and thrive in winter.
Winterruption WPG is an effort by Winnipeg’s best music venues to give you a great reason to leave your house in the dead of winter. Produced by the West End Cultural Centre in partnership with Real Love Winnipeg and venues around town, we’re bringing you both ticketed and free concerts at the end of January.

Past Festivals

WINTERRUPTION YEG 2024

January 24-28, 2024

Vundabar ❆ Battles ❆ Geese ❆ Debby Friday ❆ Barry Paquin Roberge ❆ Jaida Essence Hall ❆ Dj Nu-mark (Jurassic 5) ❆ Sunny War ❆ Dave Hill ❆ Helena Deland ❆ Making Movies ❆ Meule ❆ Peter Dreams (July Talk) ❆ Wake ❆ Vox Rea ❆ The Jins ❆ Hot Garbage ❆ Bry Webb ❆ Waahli ❆ Ba Johnston ❆ Ivardensphere ❆ By Divine Right ❆ Henry Sir ❆ Love Pro Wrestling ❆ Murray Swanby ❆ Elephant 6 Recording Co. – A Documentary ❆ Nyssa ❆ Janette King ❆ Shane Ghostkeeper ❆ Asko ❆ Moonriivr ❆ Voice Industrie ❆ Jane Inc ❆ Sons Of Town Hall ❆ Aladean Kheroufi ❆ Electricity For Everybody! ❆ Alex Nicol ❆ Withdrawal ❆ Samantha Savage Smith ❆ Miesha & The Spanks ❆ Midnight Peg ❆ Detherous ❆ Pony Girl ❆ Tariiiq ❆ Concealer ❆ Good Information ❆ Thomas Thomas ❆ Kathleen Mcgee ❆ The Denim Daddies ❆ Pearly Moon ❆ Sunglaciers ❆ Burs ❆ Zero Percent Crew ❆ Holidays In Canada ❆ Absent Mind ❆ Sean Hamilton & The Amber Hour ❆ Off The Top Rope ❆ Manmeat ❆ Dj Twist ❆ Dj Sonny Grimez ❆ Eyes Front ❆ Chairman ❆ Stem Champ ❆ Billy Graham ❆ J Scope ❆ Mom Weed ❆ Limited Hangout ❆ Jingnjoc ❆ Stomp’s Dj Siborg & Abel Nightroad ❆ Margaret Snatcher ❆ Alcoves ❆ Jizz Elle ❆ Pallor ❆ Tequila Mockingbird ❆ Celeste Lampa ❆ Big Evil Rat ❆ French Class ❆ Rosina Cove ❆ Forties ❆ Pike

WINTERRUPTION YEG 2023

January 25-29, 2023

Joyce Manor ⋆ Fucked Up ⋆ Kornbread “The Snack” Jeté ⋆ A. Savage ⋆ Holy Fuck ⋆ Tempers ⋆ Wine Lips ⋆ Ron Gallo ⋆ Wax ⋆ Mauvey ⋆ Hannah Georgas ⋆ Hawksley Workman ⋆ Nick Thune ⋆ Pierre Kwenders ⋆ Faunts ⋆ Joe & The Shitboys ⋆ Sgt. Papers ⋆ Jasmyn ⋆ Motherhood ⋆ Mattmac ⋆ Fartbarf ⋆ Zoon ⋆ The Garrys ⋆ Status Non Status ⋆ Stripmall ⋆ Home Front ⋆ Surf Dads ⋆ Wares ⋆ Verttigo ⋆ Love Wrestling ⋆ Self-cut Bangs ⋆ Ellen Froese ⋆ Munashe ⋆ Wolf Willow ⋆ Stem Champ ⋆ Ntwali ⋆ Aladean Kheroufi ⋆ Colleen Brown ⋆ Dump Babes ⋆ Tzadeka ⋆ Girl Brain ⋆ Kathleen Mcgee ⋆ The Provincial Archive ⋆ The Eclipse ⋆ Betaboys ⋆ Raygun Cowboys ⋆ Brasstactics ⋆ Good Information ⋆ Marissa Burwell ⋆ Exit Division ⋆ Pepper ⋆ Wihtikow ⋆ Jesse Jams & The Flams ⋆ Velocitractor ⋆ Stretcher Hymen ⋆ Good Jeans ⋆ Tea Fannie ⋆ The Denim Daddies ⋆ Ladonna Stone ⋆ Sean Davis Newton ⋆ Dual Nature ⋆ Jung People ⋆ Natasha Lyn Myles ⋆ Jody Shenkarek & Hot Kindlin’

WINTERRUPTION YEG 2022

March 27 – April 9, 2022 (thanks Covid!)

Tops • Snotty Nose Rez Kids • Braids • Dj Shub • Dijah Sb • Teke::teke • Morgan Mcmichaels • Julian Taylor • Altameda • The Darcys • Art D’ecco • Jr. Gone Wild • Rich Aucoin • Daysormay • Chastity • Stop Podcasting Yourself • Boy Golden • Garrett T. Capps & Nasa Country • Gavin Crawford • Cayley Thomas • Charlotte Cornfield • Eamon Mcgrath • Ghost Woman • Astral Swans • Shaela Miller • K-riz • Strange Breed • The Provincial Archive • Alan Ward • The Bobby Tenderloin Universe • Tzadeka • Brasstactics • Miesha & The Spanks • The Hearts • Jody Shenkarek & Hot Kindlin’ • The Denim Daddies • St.arnaud • King Of Foxes • Shag • Lauriers • Aladean Kheroufi • Pseudo-antigone • Dj Creeasian • Sister Suzie • Jillian Lake • Pepper • Gemma Nye • Dad Bod Rod • Uncle Joe & The Nephews • Slow Down Molasses • Sean Hamilton • Rosina Cove • Crystal Eyes • Milq • The Eclipse • Onika Xtravaganz

WINTERRUPTION YEG 2020

January 23-26, 2020

GZA – performing Liquid Swords (25th anniversary), Ezra Furman, No Age, Coleman Hell, Partner, Bully, Begonia, Weaves, Bodega, Jennifer Castle, Dboy, Hannah Epperson, Girlfriend Material, Nuela Charles, Eamon McGrath, Blessed, Wares, Too Soon Monsoon, Iron Tusk, 36?, The Hearts, Tzadeka, Mourainè, Rosina Cove, Electric Audrey 2, Josh Sahunta, Electricity For Everybody!, Super Duty Tough Work, Carter & The Capitals, Cristian de La Luna, Brian Posehn, Kathleen McGee, Ntwali, The Faps, Prince Innocence, Broadway Calls, Jet Power, Feed Dogs, Slut Prophet, Good Rumour, Shag, Marlaena Moore, Sunglaciers, Mickey Green, Dylan Ella, Jenesia, twig, The Dice Cubes, The California Cure, Counterfeit Jeans, Matthew Cardinal, Keltie, Iron Eyes, Raygun Cowboys, David Jay, Lindsay Walker