1. What inspired the creation of Punksgiving, and how has the event evolved since it first began?

I  earn a living as a salesman for a craft brewery in Alberta and my boss  suggested I throw a party with bands and the brewery would sponsor it. I  ran with the idea and after speaking with Steve Rawles from Belvedere,  who also runs a booking agency, he was able to secure Pulley as the  first headliner for me. The only thing was it had to be on a Sunday.  Upon scoping the calendar, I discovered it wasn't any regular Sunday, it  was Canadian Thanksgiving which meant people wouldn't have to work the  next day. Punksgiving was born that day and the turkey imagery was  restrained only by my imagination.

But  of course, you can't have a show without a venue and we're lucky to  have a killer venue called Bo's Bar & Stage here in Red Deer and  after chatting with Brennen the owner, he gave me his blessing to use  his space. It's the perfect home for PG and we're lucky to have their  support!

The  event has grown steadily each year and 2026 will be the third edition  of the festival. This is the first year we opened submissions to the  public and were blown away by the interest from, not only bands in  Alberta, but literally across the world. It was cool to go through the  applications and listen to all the bands but not as cool to have to tell  some really great bands that I didn't have room for them this year.  Hopefully, they apply again next year! PG3 is looking like the best year  yet with 10 bands and our first fly-in headliner.

2. What can attendees look forward to at this year's Punksgiving that makes the October event unique?

As  far as I know, we are the only Canadian Thanksgiving-themed punk rock  music festival going right now so I guess that's unique. We also haven't  had anything like this in Red Deer so the punks in the area are stoked  to have an annual event like this to look forward to. As I mentioned  earlier, this year marks our first fly-in headliner as Bad Cop Bad Cop  are coming up from California. Their only other Western Canadian show  this year was in Victoria so we're hoping we have fans of theirs travel  for the show. We run a tight ship and while there are a lot of bands, we  have very little down time and thanks to Bo's amazing sound/light crew,  everyone looks and sounds amazing!

3. How does Punksgiving support the local punk music scene and broader Red Deer community?

We  always make sure to have some local bands on the bill to give it that  local flavour as well as other bands from Alberta. We also love having  bands from all over because it gives the Red Deerians a chance to see  bands that might not normally get a chance to see. It's also cool to be  out at other shows and have people come up to me and tell me how stoked  they are for the fest. Then they tell me I should get Bad Religion or  Pennywise to headline. Maybe next year!

4. What challenges go into organizing a grassroots music festival, and how do you overcome them each year?

Financial limitations are  definitely the biggest challenge but I think we've done a good job  growing organically and not trying to do too much, too fast. We've taken  a significant step with our internal budget this year and advance  ticket sales have reflected that so I believe we're on the right track.  Starting something from nothing isn't easy and just working our butts  off on marketing and getting the name out there has an uphill battle.  While the fact that most people don't work the next day is a huge bonus,  it's also a family orientated holiday so we're competing with turkey  dinners as well as the usual attendance roadblocks of any show. Much to  our delight, lots of people have rescheduled their dinner to  accommodate their Punksgiving plans!

5. Are there any featured bands, artists, or special activities you're particularly excited about this year?

Honestly,  the line-up is pretty sick. All the bands playing that day are great  and I'm excited to see them all. People are very stoked that Bad Cop Bad  Cop and Dead Pioneers are coming to Red Deer and if you've never heard  of PEST, maybe you've heard of their bassist's other band. I think  they're called Pearl Jam - an up and coming group out of Seattle. I  think they might start turning heads soon! Of course, all the other  bands rip too so show up early and don't leave! It's going to rule!

6. What role do volunteers, sponsors, and community partners play in making Punksgiving successful?

I  almost mentioned this in the 4th question but Punksgiving would NOT be  possible without the amazing sponsors who stepped up and contributed to  the cause. I have been blown away by the support from the community each  and every year. Sponsors come and go each year but I am grateful for  every single one of them. The promotion game is a nerve-wracking one and  knowing that certain costs are covered is a huge stress relief as  ticket sales are never guaranteed! Each year, people step up to help  whether it's sending sponsors our way, or offering other services and  once again, I am eternally grateful for every single person who gives a  crap about Punksgiving.

7. For someone who has never attended Punksgiving before, what would you tell them to convince them to come out this October?

The  vibes are off the chain. Everyoneis always having fun and the bands  always bring the ruckus. It's built like a festival but has that small  club feel. This line-up is incredible and if you like punk rock or  alternative music in general, you're gonna wanna make it out for this  one!