All about Block Heater with Kerry Clarke
By Ilana van der Merwe, February 7 2025—
As the snow falls and the weather continues to cool down, Kerry Clarke and her team work to present Calgarians with an event to warm up downtown. Calgary Folk Fest’s 10th annual Block Heater will be held from Feb. 14-15, and Clarke has sat down with the Gauntlet to provide the perfect guide to this winter festival.
Oftentimes, working up the courage to leave the warmth of your home can be difficult, but Clarke emphasizes that the Block Heater is the best combatant to cold winter nights. Those who are big fans of Calgary Folk Festival’s summer festival will feel just as at home between any of the selected winter venues.
“We are trying to replicate the summer festival vibes with the limitations in place… I think we have a nice mix of artists from around the world. We have some psych rock and world music — indie and blues,” she said.
With the event landing on Valentine’s Day, Clarke recognized the potential for their Friday night shows to be a hit with couples.
“We went with the Valentine’s theme at the Legion on Friday night. Blue Moon Marquee is a band lots of people like to swing dance to. Come down, get some food, take in a show, make it an evening.”
This year’s block heater will host main stage events triangulating between Central United Church, Horizon Heating Stage and The Palace Theater, alongside free events on Stephen Avenue. The event expects to host approximately 5000 concert goers between the two nights, creating a high energy environment for music lovers.
Clarke shared that it is events like the Block Heater that keep downtown Calgary alive in the winter months.
“It does liven up downtown, it brings something different. It makes people aware of these downtown venues. There are some people who maybe aren’t as used to downtown. There is a lot of parking, and it is safe downtown,” Clarke said.
When asked, Clarke suggested some tips for those planning to attend the festival. Starting with basics like a warm coat, and digitally purchased tickets, events goers can foresee to experience exceptionally catered music.
“The doors open an hour before shows start. Each venue has its different vibe…There is not necessarily a full theme each night, but we try to select artists who work together. We are ‘shopping’ for artists who are pretty upbeat, some that have a listening vibe, and some that are party artists.”
From country to indie, event goers should expect to have a variety of experiences packed into a single night of concerts. Aside from music, Clarke deemed community building as one of the most integral functions of the Block Heater.
“I love to see how people respond to these different artists, and the differences between the different audiences… It is a great arts community. I feel like we link different people in the arts,” Clarke said.
With around 80 to 100 volunteers working to present such a successful event and keep things affordable, Clarke recommended students who enjoy getting out to come to this concert.
“I would recommend this event to everyone. Not everyone realizes that it is for them. If you love live music of any kind, if you like to connect with the community — come out. People who have adventure, spirit and are open minded — come out. If you’re someone who likes to go out, this is a great place to go,” she said.
Featuring 20 artists over the span of two days, Block Heater tries to bring back the best of Calgary Folk Festival’s summer vibes in the winter months. Clarke shared her love for many of the artists in this year’s line up, showing that this event truly is a project of love.
“I really do love a lot of artists. I am a huge Basia Bulat fan, I love Black Mountain and Suuns. TEKE::TEKE is super amazing and unique. I’ve seen most of these artists and really like them. I am definitely a participant in dancing and enjoying the music,” Clarke said.
With limited barriers to entry, highly accessible venues, fantastic performance programming and — highly crucial — central heating, Block Heater is set to return as the remedy for many Calgarians’ winter blues. Tickets, lineup, schedules and more can be found on the Calgary Folk Festival’s website. To stay up to date with events similar to Block Heater, follow Calgary Folk Festival on social media.