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Get set for the 34th edition of Winterlude, the celebration of Winter in Canada’s Capital and North America’s biggest winter festival starting on Friday.
Held from February 3 to 20, 2012, this family-friendly celebration transforms Canada’s Capital Region into the ideal destination to celebrate Canadian traditions in wintertime.
The annual festival is held in Ottawa and Gatineau. There are events along the Rideau Canal, including skating, Beaver Tails, the Beaver Cup Pond Hockey tournament. Families can also check out ice sculptures and music at Confederation Park or they can head to Jacques Cartier Park in Gatineau for the Snowflake Kingdom where there are snow slides, tube slides and a maze. Winterlude is run by the National Capital Commission and was started in 1979.
This year’s themes include a celebration of Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee, the 50th Anniversary of the Canadian Coastguard and the history of the War of 1812.
The event is one of Ottawa’s most important tourist draws, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year and bringing in more than $30,000 to the city. The events are free and run weekends from Friday, Feb. 3 to Saturday, Feb. 19 and on Family Day, Monday, Feb. 20.
OC Transpo offers free shuttle service on weekends between Winterlude events on the OLG Sno-Bus. Service runs 10a.m. to 8p.m. from Elgin Street to Dow’s Lake and 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. from the Centre Robert-Guertin park-and-ride to Elgin Street and Jacques-Cartier Park. The service only runs on weekends and is not offered on Family Day.
Click here for a full list of events, locations and visitor information!
