Winterruption is trying new events and bringing in some familiar faces for its sixth annual festival of music, comedy, drag, and more.
"Marketers talk all about 'the story' — what's the story?" festival producer Brent Oliver told Taproot. "Anybody can put on a show, but if there's a bit of a story to it, like a pizza party, a roots-rock brunch, or local promoters having a showcase night, I much prefer that."
Oliver credits his growing marketing savvy and buzz built through event partnerships for record-breaking ticket sales for the 2026 edition, which runs from Jan. 21 to 25 at multiple venues in and near downtown. As of Jan. 10, 70% of festival-pass wristbands had been sold, and 10 individual shows were 50% to 80% sold out.
He has curated some events that go beyond the traditional concert format this year, such as a pizza party in collaboration with Double Lunch Productions and Brotherhood of Plates, where the first 60 guests get a slice of High Dough pizza on Jan. 23. There's also the Wienterruption Warm-Up Lounge at the Downtown Edmonton Community League on Jan. 23 and 24, with hot dogs, beer tastings, pop-up shopping, a photo booth, and a live broadcast from CJSR. The festival has partnered with OEG and the City of Edmonton's winter events program on a free tailgate party at the ICE District Plaza on Jan. 24 ahead of an Oilers home game, headlined by Derina Harvey Band and St. Arnaud.
Creativity for events is key, Oliver said, as many in the entertainment industry are struggling right now. The promoter Live Nation Entertainment Inc. is only thriving because it earns money through subsidiary Ticketmaster's oft-contested fees and concession sales from the venues Live Nation owns. Even when artists like Taylor Swift choose not to work with Live Nation as a tour promoter, many venues have exclusive ticketing contracts with Ticketmaster.
"(Promoters and venues) can't make money in live music unless they have other revenue sources," Oliver said. "The only way that Winterruption can make ends meet is by having this 30% or 40% of our budget cushion from grants."
While Edmonton isn't unique in those challenges, Oliver said, the city struggles to attract touring performers compared to some markets due to its geography and, to a lesser extent, its climate. It's much more cost-effective for bands to tour on the west coast of the United States and Canada, for example, because cities with bigger populations are closer together there. But Oliver works with the Winterruption festivals in Saskatoon and Winnipeg, as well Sled Island in Calgary, to coordinate bookings for tours rather than one-offs. Bands are more enticed to play the frozen Prairies in the winter if they are guaranteed a fee in more than one city, he said.
Still, the cold alone can be an obstacle. "Every year, I get between five and 10 artists, agents, or managers saying, 'I'm not sending my act to Canada in January,'" Oliver said.
The Starlite Room, where Reignwolf performed during Winterruption in 2025, will again host several acts during this year's festival. (Lyle Bell)
But a lot of artists did say yes to Winterruption, such as punk band Fear, rapper Talib Kweli, singer-songwriter Hiss Golden Messenger, RuPaul's Drag Race alum Miz Cracker, and comedian Kyle Kinane.
The festival has also lured back some former Edmonton residents who moved to bigger cities when their careers took off. Singer-songwriter Sean Nicholas Savage headlines the Winterruption wrap-up party at Rocky Mountain Icehouse on Jan. 25. Savage released a pop record in June that features a distinct take on Lust for Life by Iggy Pop, and received acclaim from Pitchfork for some of his releases. Comedian Henry Sir, who recently moved back to Edmonton from New York City, will perform with The Beaverton at the Freemasons' Hall on Jan. 24. Sir skewers American and Canadian cultures, as seen on his one-hour special, Mr. Sir. Plus, rapper K-Riz returns from Calgary to Edmonton to open for Kweli at Double Dragon on Jan. 21.
Vivek Shraya, who grew up in Edmonton and is now an internationally recognized multidisciplinary artist, was also scheduled to perform but cancelled due to a personal issue.
The full Winterruption schedule also includes local entertainment from the likes of Love Pro Wrestling, Fish Lips, and Whiling.
Tickets for all shows, except the late show with Kyle Kinane, are still available as of Jan. 13. Wristbands remain on sale, too, and offer access to all events, subject to capacity. Winterruption reserves 25% to 30% of venue capacity for wristband holders.