Looking for some icy outdoor fun? Here is a list of the "best of the fest" across Canada this winter.
Plaster Rock, New Brunswick -- from February 9th to 12th
Every year, this community brings together 120 teams from around the world to compete for the World Pond Hockey Championship. This is four-on-four play, with no goaltenders and plenty of action!
All games are outdoors on a lake which is home to 24 ice surfaces, meaning that many teams can play simultaneously. Nothing like this exists anywhere else in the world. It serves as a celebration of Canadian culture -- not just our love of hockey – as well as our love of hockey on the ponds, lakes and rivers of our childhood.
, Newfoundland -- Snow West'12 from March 22nd to March 24th
This event is designed to showcase the outstanding variety of fun winter adventures and evening experiences available for visitors to Western Newfoundland. Those events include downhill skiing/boarding, dog sledding, cross-country and back-country skiing, snowmobiling (trail and back country), snow shoeing and soft adventure including caving, zip-lining and ice fishing. There's also a wide variety of evening entertainment including live music events, comedy shows and dinner theatre.
Quebec City, Quebec -- from January 27 to February 12, 2012
Experience one of the world's largest winter carnivals in this beautiful city. Enjoy a host of activities for all ages, including snow baths, night parades, snow slides, giant foosball, snow sculptures, shows, sleigh rides and skating.
Montreal, Quebec -- from January 12 to 28, 2012
This outdoor electronica dance festival is anything but chilled. With a full igloo village, bars carved out of ice and a spectacular light show to accompany the music by top DJs from around the globe, Igloofest has become one of the world's unique clubbing destinations. Approximately 45,000 electronic music fans attending last year's festival.
Ottawa, Ontario -- from February 3rd to 20th, 2012
Most Winterlude activities are free, especially the family-friendly ones like skating and programming on the Rideau Canal Skateway, fun activities at Jacques Cartier Park, performers, music and ice sculptures in Confederation Park. This year's opening ceremony includes fireworks from the Alexandra Bridge and above the Ottawa River, free admission to the Canadian Museum of Civilization and a post-fireworks DJ party. For an extra fee, you can attend a gala dinner by Lynn Crawford inside the museum; just one of the Taste of Winterlude culinary experiences on offer. Ottawa Tourism offers Winterlude packages include accommodation, coupons and optional family admission to museums.
Winnipeg, Manitoba -- from February 17th to 26th, 2012
Western Canada's largest winter festival celebrates Canada's fur trading era and combines the joie de vivre of the voyageurs with more than 300 music performances, magnificent snow sculptures, historical interpretation of the early 19th century at Fort Gibraltar, live entertainment, traditional dishes, arts and crafts, the voyageur International Sled Dog Classic and the governor's ball.
Banff National Park -- from January 20th to 22nd
Hosted by The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, this 34-hour competition is the most anticipated spectacle of the Festival. Internationally recognized professional ice carvers work in teams of two to sculpt towering, one-of-a-kind works of art from imposing blocks of solid ice on the shores of Lake Louise. With each ice block weighing a daunting 300lbs, this exceptional art form involves grueling physical labour in a delicate balancing act with precision artistry.
In addition to the International Ice Carving Competition, this weekend also hosts the One Carver, One Hour, One Block speed carving event at the Lake Louise Inn -- an interpretive ice carving demonstrations by Ice Magic's Lead Judge Dan Rebholtz, and an Ice Magic Judges Carve-Off at the Lake Louise Ski Area. It also offers horse drawn wagon rides, ice skating on Lake Louise beneath the towering gaze of the Victoria Glacier and much more that will particularly appeal to adult visitors.
And If you're planning to visit Alberta this winter, the are running a great contest where you can pick you own adventure, from three signature winter experiences at Fairmont Hotels & Resorts in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta including the opportunity to experience the Ice Carving Competition in Lake Louise. Today is the deadline to enter!
