Montreal’s Winter Festival
Family Fun in the Snow - Canadian Style - at La Fête des Neiges
When winter winds blow, thousands travel north to experience the pre-Lenten Festival of Snow, a family oriented winter carnival in one of Canada's most exciting cities
Montreal’s challenge to the world of winter festivals is focused on the family, and from the last Saturday of January until the second Sunday of February, every weekend is filled with outdoor activity. Combine visits to the city’s cultural treasures with healthy outdoor winter sport for a fantastic family winter vacation.
Centered on the Île Notre-Dame and Île Sainte Hélène, most of the activities are held in the Parc Jean-Drapeau, best known as the site of the 1967 World’s Fair, Man and His World. The islands in the St. Lawrence River separate the festival from the city, but are within walking distance from downtown – which forms a backdrop.
All through the festival, skaters of all ages can glide along the shores of the beautiful St Lawrence on a icy path that provides beautiful views of Montreal. On especially built “Mont Yoplait” riders can tube down the 14 tubing slopes and kids ages 5 to 8 can get free beginner alpine ski instruction with all equipment provided, and also free. If you bring your own toboggan you can use any of the park’s hills.
The most Canadian of all sports, hockey, has not been forgotten. Thanks to Tim Horton’s, the Canadian-based donut empire, festival goers have access to a full-sized NHL hockey rink and for those who prefer street hockey, the Centre Belles Bottines has carefully prepared snowy surfaces.
For kids, La Bourgade Nordique is a penguin-filled northern winter village, where characters interact with children and make-believe becomes real. The Little Fingers Workshop provides kids with a chance to try their hand at snow sculpting. Think of it as advanced applied snowman making classes.
The symbol of the festival is Boule de Neige, Snowball, a big loveable, fluffy polar bear who wanders the festival grounds with a host of almost 60 other small, fluffy and cuddly animal characters, and they love to have their photo taken with kids.
For the slightly older, go to La Boulathèque, an out door discotheque, where the air conditioning is natural and the energy level high. In addition to winter sports, the festival also offers a broad range of entertainment all centered on the Hydro-Quebec Stage.
No festival would be complete without the food and here, in the heart of French Canada, the many offerings reflect that local culture. No one should miss the chance to stop in at a cabane a sucre, a sugar house, and sample the sweet maple goodies. Look, too, for traditional meat pie and the always popular poutine: fries covered with gravy and cheese.
No one should leave this joyous festival without taking a leisurely sleigh ride along the tree lined paths of Parc Jean-Drapeau. To reach the park, take the Jacques Cartier Bridge to Île Sainte-Hélène or from the Bonaventure Expressway take the Concorde Bridge to Île Notre-Dame.
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