After taking a year’s hiatus, the Drumheller Performing Arts Festival is back for 2026. Registration is getting set to open on Monday, December 1st for the festival, which takes place in March 2026.
Drumheller Performing Arts Festival President Ashley Hansen shares that the organization is celebrating a couple of milestones this year. “This year, from our official incorporation date as a society, we are celebrating 65 years, and from the initial conception of a Drumheller music festival, which was roughly 1929 / 1930, so we are in our 95th year.”
The festival took 2025 off to reorganize and Hansen provides the details. “One of the things we looked at was our award system and our registration system. We really just wanted to streamline those, gain a bit more experience as a new board so that we are putting on the best festival for the community.”
With registration set to open on December 1st, Hansen shares that many of the disciplines that have been part of the festival in previous years, will continue this year as well. “The primary ones we see the most of are piano, band, dance, musical theatre, speech, choir, and vocal activities. We are a member of the Alberta Music Festival Association, so anything that is available in their syllabus, that is what you can register for. While we seem to have the previous disciplines I’ve stated, there is so much more to festival. I highly encourage everyone to check out the syllabus, see what there is, and join us.”
Although many of the entrants in years previous are from Drumheller, Hansen confirms that the festival is open to anyone from the region and contestants do not have to be from the Drumheller area. She also confirms that they will also be offering a special award for those Grade 12 students graduating in 2026, with a $500 award up for grabs.
For more information on the disciplines in the syllabus and to register between December 1st and January 15th, visit their website at www.dpaf.ca . The Drumheller Performing Arts Festival will take place at a number of venues throughout Drumheller between March 2nd and 11th, 2026, with the final concert on March 15th, 2026.
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