Each year, people across Canada look forward to thrilling winter festivals. While winter in Canada can be cold, Canadians celebrate and make the best of many winter activities! Winter festivals take place in small and large cities across Canada and add joy, warmth, and fun to the season.
For newcomers, attending a winter festival is a great way to experience and embrace life in Canada! So let’s explore some of the most spectacular winter festivals, starting in Canada’s capital city, Ottawa.
Winterlude, Ottawa, Ontario
January 31 to February 17, 2025
Winterlude has something for everyone. From ice skating to brilliant light displays, it illustrates the best of Canadian winter. If you find yourself in Ottawa during the winter, don’t miss out on the frosty fun that awaits you at Winterlude. This spectacular winter festival features ice sculptures, food, drinks, and many attractions. Most events and activities occur during the first three weekends of February, and many are free!
Another exciting event that takes place during Winterlude is the National Ice-Carving Championship. The most talented ice sculptors from around Canada come to Confederation Park in Ottawa to display their ice sculptures. You can vote for your favourite ice sculptures to decide on three winners.
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Ottawa, Ontario, Canada’s capital city is also the world’s ice skating capital. Every winter, the Rideau Canal freezes and becomes the largest natural ice rink in the world perfect for skating. Starting near Parliament Hill in Ottawa, the Rideau Canal runs 7.8 km. About 20,000 people head to the frozen Rideau Canal during Winterlude to ice skate each year.
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Festival of Lights, Niagara Falls, Ontario
November 16, 2024 – January 5, 2025
Niagara Falls is one of Canada’s biggest attractions. Tourists from around the world visit Niagara Falls to admire its breathtaking scenery. During the winter season, Niagara Falls lights up and transforms into a magical winter wonderland.
Every winter, the Winter Festival of Lights takes place in Niagara Falls. The festival consists of an 8 km route where you can admire all the marvelous displays. The Winter Festival of Lights is full of exciting events and exhibitions such as the Floral House and the light displays at Queen Victoria Park.
Carnaval de Quebec, Quebec City, Quebec
February 7 – 16, 2025
No list of Canadian winter festivals is complete without the Carnaval de Quebec. Quebec’s Winter Carnival is one of the oldest and biggest winter festivals. It hosts over 400,000 people from around the world each year.
Few cities manage to celebrate winter like Quebec City does. Bonhomme is a big, friendly snowman and the symbol of the festival. Bonhomme made his first appearance in the winter of 1955. Since then, Bonhomme has become a familiar and welcome sight to the people of Quebec City. Every year, an ice palace is built for Bonhomme and is the center for all activities and events.
There is a lot to do and explore in Carnaval De Quebec. In addition to activities like ice skating, there are many unique activities. You can sleigh ride through the city, tour Bonhomme’s Ice Palace, and explore historic Quebec City and centuries-old architecture. If you find yourself in Quebec, this is a thrilling time of the Canadian winter.
FROSTival Winter Festival, Fredericton, New Brunswick
January 23 – February 9, 2025
FROSTival is the biggest winter celebration in the maritime provinces of Canada. Every winter, the festival takes place in Fredericton and lasts from late January to early February.
There is a reason FROSTival is called the biggest winter festival in the maritime provinces. FROSTival has many fun outdoor activities like ice skating, sleigh rides, and nature walks to admire Fredericton’s beautiful winters. The festival is also swarming with food trucks and winter-themed restaurants in case you get hungry during the celebrations.
Festival du Voyageur, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Winter Festival Dates: February 14 – 23, 2025
Our next winter festival will take us to one of the prairie provinces. Winnipeg, Manitoba is known for its harsh winters and icy winds. However, Winnipeggers find ways to embrace the chilly winters through!
Winnipeg has been hosting the Festival du Voyageur every winter for the past 56 years. This festival has many unique activities and events from fiddling contests to the International Snow Sculpture Symposium. If you are in Winnipeg, the Festival du Voyageur is a must-visit winter festival.
Jasper in January Winter Festival, Jasper, Alberta
January 10 – 26, 2025
Jasper is one of the most beautiful locations in Canada. The National Park is known for its year-round scenic beauty so it’s no surprise that it holds one of the best winter festivals in Canada. Jasper in January is an annual winter festival that arrives in mid-January. The festival has many fun events, activities, music, and entertainment.
Popular events at Jasper in January include Poutine Showdown, Photo Tour, and a free guided snowshoe through a winter wonderland. January in Jasper also has many live music shows so if you want to attend those, check their events list.
Frost Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan
Winter Festival Dates: January 30 – February 2, 2025
Frost Regina is back in 2025 with two more fun-packed weekends. Parts of the festival take place in Regina’s Warehouse District, Regina Exhibition Association Limited (REAL), downtown Regina, and Wascana Park. Together these locations make up for a great festival. Here are a few of the activities you will find at Frost Regina:
- Ice skating (Wascana Park & downtown)
- Horse sleigh rides (Wascana Park)
- Snow maze (REAL)
- Ice sculptures (REAL & Warehouse District)
- Indigenous village (REAL)
- Ice slides (REAL)
- Live music and light displays (Warehouse District).
These are just some of the activities at Frost Regina. Keep in mind that all these locations are free except for REAL, which is ticketed.
Hamilton WinterFest, Hamilton, Ontario
February 1 to 17, 2025
Located less than an hour from Toronto, Hamilton WinterFest is another great festival. This winter festival offers everything from rooftop concerts and art displays to pancake breakfasts and sporting events. The festival will hosts events created by community arts, education, and recreation partners.
Many festivals across the country appreciate all the wonderful aspects of Canadian winters. In this article, you only saw a few winter celebrations from around Canada. If you don’t live near any of the winter festivals listed above, don’t fret. No matter where you live, there will likely be exciting winter festivals. If you are unsure where and when a festival is occurring near you, ask a friend or neighbour!
My name is Zain Usmani and I am a freelance content writer who currently resides in Mississauga, Ontario. I immigrated from Pakistan to Canada 5 years ago and have lived in many cities ever since. I have lived in Calgary AB, Edmonton AB, Regina SK, London ON, and Mississauga ON, while visiting over 40 Canadian cities and towns. I have a great passion for writing and I love helping people through it.
