Outdoor winter festivals and events encourage Edmontonians to carry their passion for our city year round.
WinterCity festival and event organizers create experiences that share the magic of an Edmonton winter with both local community members and visitors.
However, operating events in the winter comes with unique challenges and higher operational costs. The WinterCity Festivals and Events Grant provides dedicated funding to help offset these seasonal expenses and support Edmonton's outdoor winter events.
Application Intake Open
Applications are now being accepted for eligible outdoor winter events occurring during the following dates: January 1 to March 31 and November 15 to December 31, 2027. The deadline for submission is October 30, 2026 at 11:59pm.
Applicants should allow up to 8 weeks after the deadline to receive a decision.
Grant Funding Allocation
The minimum grant award is $500. Funding amounts are determined by the application's overall strength in relation to the assessment criteria and the total availability of grant funds. Grant funding may not exceed 25% of the total cost to produce the event.
Grant Priorities
The WinterCity Festivals and Events grant priorities are aligned with the City Plan and will focus on:
- Supporting Edmonton’s identity as a winter city through its infrastructure, design, events and economy (City Plan Intention 1.3.2)
- Celebrating our winter identity through the arts, recreation, events, storytelling and inspired design (City Plan Direction 1.3.2.1)
- Encouraging winter events, activities and festivals through community and business partnerships (City Plan Direction 1.3.2.3)
Learn more about the City Plan.
Grant Funding Criteria
Grant funding awards will be based on the following criteria:
- Winter Operational Expenses
- Attendee Winter Experience
- Event Size, Scope and Scale
- Event Purpose and Goals
- Event History
- Public Benefit
- Financial Need
The City may change or clarify the grant criteria at any time to be responsive to the needs of organizations.
Eligible events must:
- Be located in the city of Edmonton
- Take place between January 1 to March 31 and/or November 15 to December 31
- Hold 80% or more of the programming or activities outdoors
- Welcome attendance from all Edmontonians and visitors
- Have an expected attendance of 100 people or more
- Have expenses that, as a result of winter conditions, increase costs to produce the event
- Be produced by an organization that is:
- Registered as not-for-profit or charitable
- Business Improvement Area
- Hold a minimum of $2 million in general liability insurance
- Held in compliance with permitting or licensing requirements as required (such as Edmonton Fire and Development Services) and public health requirements, restrictions and guidance imposed by the City of Edmonton, Alberta Health Services or the Government of Alberta
Am I Eligible for the WinterCity Festivals and Events Grant ?
Eligible event types include but are not limited to:
- Winter light, lantern and illumination events
- Ice carving, snow sculpting and visual arts events
- Winter festivals and seasonal celebrations
- Interactive winter installations, pop-up activations and experiential events
- Heritage, storytelling and winter tradition celebrations
- Sport and active recreation events
- Food, arts, and cultural festivals
- Concerts, performances and music festivals
- Parades
Eligible winter operational expenses include but are not limited to:
Snow, Ice & Site Management
- Snow & Ice Production: Sourcing snow or ice-making equipment, gathering/hauling snow, and related water or dechlorination costs
- Snow & Ice Preservation: Equipment to maintain cold temperatures for snow and ice features (such as shade tents, air conditioners)
- Site Clearing & Safety: Site maintenance, including snow and ice removal, windrow clearing, grading, and applying sand or gravel
Heating & Cold-Weather Safety
- Warming Equipment: Fire pits, firewood, heaters and fuel to keep the event safe and comfortable
- Hot Food & Beverages: Hot food and warm drinks (such as hot chocolate, warm cider) provided to help keep staff, volunteers, and attendees warm
- Warming Supplies & Apparel: Winter clothing (toques, scarves) and hand warmers for staff and volunteers
Lighting
- Decorative Lighting: Aesthetic lighting installations for winter ambiance or event programming; may also double as general site illumination
- Operational Lighting: General site illumination required for visibility and safety with no decorative or event programming purpose. (such as white lights in a parking lot)
General Winter Operations
- Winter Infrastructure: Four-season tents, warming huts, trailers
- Miscellaneous Expenses: Any other general operating costs specific to producing a winter event. (Description required)
Note: For the complete list of eligible events, organizations and expenses, please refer to the WinterCity Festivals & Events Grant Program Guide.
Ineligible events and organizations include but are not limited to:
- Primarily Indoor: Events where more than 20% of the programming or activities are hosted indoors
- Events produced by an organization that is a:
- For-profit organization
- Community League (Note: Events produced in partnership with three or more community leagues may be considered for a grant)
- Local/Neighbourhood Focus: Events designed to serve a specific geographic neighbourhood or community
- Religious, political or commercial: Events primarily focused on these themes, programming or activities
- Fundraisers: Events where the primary goal is raising money for charities, individuals, groups or causes
- Private Events: Weddings, celebrations of life, showers, potlucks or events not intended for the general public
- Professional Events: Conferences, symposiums, award ceremonies or other events not intended for the general public
- Registered Programs: Daycamps, lessons or other events that are (in whole or in part) an extension of regular or permanent programming
- Routine or Exclusive Sporting Events: Sport and recreation events that are closed to the general public, require a membership to a club or sport governing body to participate or consist of regular league play or ongoing programming
- Standalone Sport Development: "Try-it" or "learn-to" sports opportunities, physical literacy programs or sport-access workshops
Note: For the complete list of ineligible events, organizations and expenses, please refer to the WinterCity Festivals & Events Grant Program Guide.
Please Note:
For organizations applying for more than one event:
Series Format: Only one application is required for a series of events featuring similar programming and a shared budget across multiple dates and/or locations.
Distinct Events: A separate application must be submitted for each event if they differ in purpose, programming or budget.
Application Process
Before you start your application:
- Review eligibility criteria in the Grant Program Guide
- Preview a copy of the Application form
- Complete the estimated Event Budget document (PDF and Microsoft Excel)
- Prepare:
- General information about your organization and event
- A list of the event’s programming and activities
- A description of the event’s goals, purpose and public benefit
- A description of the event’s financial needs
- A description of the intended use of the funds, if awarded
If you have questions or need help completing the application, please email WinterCityEventsGrant@edmonton.ca.
Submit Your Application
The City is currently accepting applications for eligible outdoor winter events.
Applicants should allow up to 8 weeks after the deadline to receive a decision.
Submission Deadline: October 30, 2026 at 11:59pm.
What Happens After Submission?
Confirmation: An emailed copy of the application is sent automatically upon submission. If this email is not received, the application was not successfully submitted.
Assessment: City staff evaluates all applications for completeness, eligibility and alignment with the grant program objectives. Assessments are based on the information provided in the application submission and any previous Final Reports.
Notification: Applicants will be notified of the grant decision within eight (8) weeks of the application deadline.
Payment: Successful applicants will receive the grant funds within eight (8) weeks of returning the complete, signed and dated Funding Letter.
Note: Funding decisions made by the City are final and cannot be appealed.
Reporting Requirements
Final Report Deadline: Successful applicants must submit a Final Report within 90 days of the event's completion.
Required Information: The report must include examples of how the event aligned with grant priorities, event photos and the original event budget updated to show actual revenues and expenses.
Future Eligibility: Submitting a Final Report is a mandatory precondition to remain eligible for any future City of Edmonton grant programs. Past reports may also be reviewed during the assessment of future applications to this grant program.
Funding Acknowledgement: Wherever possible, recipients are asked to acknowledge the grant funding in event advertising and promotional materials. The City of Edmonton will provide logos upon request.
Frequently Asked Questions
Some of the most common reasons why an application is unsuccessful are:
- Ineligibility: The application included ineligible events, organizations, or expenses
- Incomplete Submission: The application was missing required information, such as the mandatory Event Budget document
- Lack of Detail or Alignment: The answers provided in the application lacked sufficient detail or did not clearly align with the grant's objectives
- Duplicate Funding: The applicant has already received City of Edmonton grant funding for the exact same event expenses
All funding decisions made by the City of Edmonton are final. However, unsuccessful applicants are welcome to apply again during the next scheduled intake period. If you would like feedback on your application to help prepare for a future submission, please contact wintercityeventsgrant@edmonton.ca.
Yes. Please identify the eligible expenses that you intend to use the funding towards in your application and ensure they are included in your submitted Event Budget document.
Yes. This funding is available to first-time organizers and brand-new events, as well as established organizations with a history of hosting public events.
Yes. All eligible events must hold a minimum of $2 million in general liability insurance. Furthermore, if the event is located on City of Edmonton property, the City must be explicitly listed as an “Additional Insured.” Depending on the size and scope of your event, additional coverage may be required.
Yes, generally you can still apply, subject to a few exceptions outlined in the Grant Program Guide. However, you cannot use funding from multiple City funding sources to cover the exact same expenses, and the Grant Committee will consider your overall City funding when assessing the financial need section in the application.