Calgary carol festival 2024
November 30th - December 2nd
Calgary Carol Festival – 46 years and going strong!
In 1978, Frank McKitrick, Knox United Church’s Director of Music, and Knox United Church introduced the first annual Christmas Carol Festival, inviting a wide variety of choirs from the City of Calgary to perform over three evenings. The Downtown Rotary Club initially sponsored the event for the first three years. CBC Radio continued the sponsorship by recording the choirs’ performances and re-broadcasting their music during the holiday season.
In 2009, the event was renamed the Calgary Carol Festival to emphasize the broader community celebration of the event. Each year over thirty choirs from diverse backgrounds, ages and parts of the city come together to share in song and celebration. Knox United Church is honoured to host this beloved community celebration and kick-off to the holiday season. We are pleased to partner with the Calgary Food Bank with all proceeds benefitting Calgary’s food insecure population. Last year, over 1500 people attended this 3-day event, over 2700 lbs of food was collected and $14,000 was given to the Food Bank. The total of food and funds donated through this event since 1997 are: $195,362.79!
Once again, all choirs in the City of Calgary will be invited to participate in the event.
Past Programs
Click on the images below to take a look at some of the programs from past Carol Festivals
Knox UCC thanks all those who have given their time and money to enable us to host Calgary Carol Festival 2024 in our Sanctuary, including:
Our staff: particularly Ethan, Sue, Roman, Law, Jampa
Our volunteers: our ushers, greeters, organisers, servers and, of course, our choir
and also: William Gaskarth, Hermila Vargas
We give special thanks to Dave Martin, a friend of Knox and to the Geri & Richard Barr Estate
Carol Fest Facts
A History of Community Service
In 1978, Knox United Church introduced the first annual Christmas Carol Festival, inviting choirs from all over the City of Calgary to perform over 3 nights. Championed by Frank McKitrick, Knox’s Director of Music at that time, the event was originally sponsored by the Downtown Rotary Club, after which (in 1982), Knox United Church took over as sole sponsor of this beloved community celebration.
In 2009, the event was renamed “Calgary Carol Festival”, to emphasize that this is a community celebration for the entire city.
Since its inception, this event has been an opportunity for community giving. For over 20 years, Calgary Carol Festival has been a major fund-raising event for the Calgary Food Bank, with whom we are proud to partner in such a joyful way.
A History of Diversity
Over its 3 nights, Carol Fest welcomes diverse choirs from across the city, a cross-section of our communities and demography, in 2023, for example, 32 choirs performed including:
ConocoPhillips Choir (Historic Oil Patch choir from the business community), Pereveslo (Ukrainian), Mount Royal University Zhi-Yin Choir (Chinese), Calgary Music Makers 50+ Choir, Mount Royal Children's Choirs, Yodler Club Heimattreu, Western Canada High School Choirs, Korinnya Ukrainian Folk Ensemble, Calgary Girls Choir, Youth Singers of Calgary Choirs, as well as church choirs from the United Church, Roman Catholic, Seventh Day Adventist traditions.
So far this year, more than 20 choirs have volunteered their time, and we are not even in October yet.
A History of Fighting Food Insecurity
The covid pandemic forced Carol Fest into hiatus for 2 years. Since returning, Carol Fest’s fund-raising has gone from strength to strength
· 2022 (Carol Fest 44) raised 1,350lbs of food and over $8,000
· 2023 (Carol Fest 45) raised over 1,500lbs of food and over $14,000
· 2024 (Carol Fest 46) – with your support, the sky’s the limit!
A Unique Start to the Holiday Season for so many Calgarians
Knox UCC is open to all. We are the oldest Affirming church community in Calgary. Carol Fest is our biggest event every year. There is no entry fee. Anyone can attend and will be made to feel welcome.
In addition to the choir performances, our guests join in multiple sing-alongs throughout each evening, led by a host choir and an expert MC. Ugly sweaters are encouraged.
In 2023, over 1,500 people kicked off their holiday season at Carol Fest 45. We can’t wait to see how many come to sing, smile and share in Carol Fest 46.