Canada’s Coolest Winter Festivals

Canada makes for the perfect winter getaway with many different festivals. Here’s a round up of the coolest Canada winter festivals from Ontario to Toronto!

Canada Winter Festivals

Every winter Ontario hosts some of the world’s coolest festivals. From partying on the world’s longest ice rink at Winterlude festival in Ottawa to indulging your taste buds at Winterliscious in Toronto to watching Niagara Falls transform into a frozen palette of colour, there’s a festival to suit all tastes. With the Niagara Falls’ Winter Festival of Lights beginning in a few weeks, now is the perfect time to visit. Here’s a round-up of the best winter festivals in Ontario.

Winterlude Festival

Party on the world’s longest ice rink: Taking place from February 3rd-20th 2017 in Ottawa, Winterlude festival is one of the most exciting winter festivals in the calendar. Visitors have the chance to skate along the UNESCO World Heritage Rideau Canal as well as watch the 37th annual Accora Village Bed Race which sees costumed teams race huge decorated beds across the frozen ice! Festival goers also have the opportunity to enjoy live music, the Snowflake Kingdom (the world’s biggest snow playground) and a number of culinary events.

WinterCity Festival

Indulge in culture, creativity and cuisine: Visitors to Toronto can enjoy a spot of culture, creativity and cuisine at WinterCity Festival, a city-wide festival comprised of the WOW series (a free series that takes place at Nathan Phillips Square), The Warm Up Series (multi-media events and performances at select indoor venues across downtown Toronto) and Winterliscious (a prix-fixe promotion across 200 of Toronto’s best restaurants which also offers cooking classes, tastings and pairings and intimate chef dinners). The next WinterCity Festival takes place from 27th January – 10th February 2017.

Niagra Ice Wine Festival

Treat your taste buds: The 22nd Niagara Ice Wine Festival takes place in Niagara-on-the-lake, 90 minutes’ drive from Toronto, from 13th-29th January 2017 next year. One for budding sommeliers, this festival offers everything from the Xerox Gala evening to wine and food pairings, outdoor activities and roasting Icewine marshmallows as well as an opportunity to sample the rich wine the province is famous for and learn the story behind its production.

Niagra Falls: The Winter Festival of Lights

See Niagara Falls transformed: The Winter Festival of Lights sees Niagara Falls transformed into a palette of breathtaking colour as well as over three million sparkling lights placed along a five kilometer route for visitors to enjoy. Canada’s largest illumination festival, this winter’s festival takes place from 19th November 2016 – 31st January 2017 and is expected to attract over 1 million visitors.

Bon Soo Winter Festival

Enjoy Northern Ontario’s winter wonderland: For those wanting to explore Northern Ontario, Bon Soo is the province’s largest winter festival with more than 75 different events on offer throughout the 10-day festival. This winter’s festival takes place in Sault Ste. Marie from 3rd-12th February 2017. From sleigh rides and snow shoeing to dog sled rides and ice sculpting along with the unmissable polar bear swim, there’s something suitable for all ages.

Toronto Christmas Market

Feel festive in Toronto: The city hosts a number of festivals and events throughout the festive period including the Santa Claus Parade on 20th November, the Cavalcade of Lights on 26th November and Toronto’s Christmas Market which opens on 18th November and runs through 21st December 2016. Toronto’s Santa Claus Parade has been a city tradition since 1905 and sees animated floats drift down the streets with thousands of costumed participants. The Cavalcade of Lights is a yearly celebration which marks the first lighting of Toronto’s official Christmas tree. Situated in Nathan Phillips Square in the heart of the city, visitors can enjoy this holiday tradition and see performances by some of Canada’s top artists, enjoy a spectacular fireworks show and skate on Toronto’s iconic outdoor rink. Finally, Toronto’s Christmas Market is a traditional street market in the Distillery District and captures the charm, traditions and heritage of a European Christmas market whilst showcasing hundreds of unique and local handcrafted products.

For further information on Ontario, please visit www.ontariotravel.net