Quebec Winter Carnival: The World’s Biggest Winter Celebration

Love to travel – check; love to party – check; going to Quebec – check! Why should you go? Because the Quebec Winter Carnival is just days away. It’s all about two weeks of partying, colourful parades and exciting outdoor games – the perfect elements to beat the ‘same old routine’ blues. From January 29^th to February 14^th 2016, Quebec will hold its annual winter celebration- the Quebec Winter Carnival- at various sites throughout the city.

The festival celebrates the magic of winters with zest and fervour and it is easy to get carried away.  Featuring a wide range of events, the carnival can be enjoyed by the entire family.  So pack up all your woolens, book your flight, find a decent hotel to stay in and get ready to create some unforgettable memories.

Bash the winter blues

One of the biggest attractions of the festival is the opening and closing ceremonies at the luxurious Ice Palace (a big attraction in itself) built at the Place Loto in Quebec. At the opening ceremony, you will get your first glimpse of Bonhomme – the carnival mascot – a huge avuncular snowman as he leads the way during the day time and night parades. The night time parades are especially well attended and showcase an amalgamation of colours, marching bands playing foot thumping music, skillful dance troupes demanding your attention and scores of floats.



The Quebecoise are famed for their easy going nature and joie de vivre; and the carnival is testimony to this attitude. So what if it’s bitterly cold? The locals care little and go all out for snowboarding and snow slides, ice hockey, dog sledding and outdoor parties. Place Desjardins turns into a massive amusement park where one minute you could be slicing through snowflakes on a giant Ferris wheel and the next, be gawking at the astounding snow sculptures. If you feel like shaking a leg, there are ‘dance igloos’ where you could dance the night away.

The perfect antidote to the jaded, clockwork lives we lead, here are some of the attractions worth attending at the Winter Carnival:

• La Brasseé du Carnaval – a micro-brewery beer festival at Place George-V, where revelers can officially get drunk on beers produced especially for the cold season
• A gigantic snow mural built to honor this year’s guest country – Russia
• The New Mr. Christie Village for kids; also the place where most adults finally realize that age is just an inconvenient number! 

With all this activity and that bone-chilling cold, you are bound to be hungry. Try your hand at Caribou – the traditional Quebecoise brew of brandy, vodka, sherry and port. The city’s restaurants offer special menus during the carnival. Here’s a list of must-try Quebecoise delicacies:

• Poutine - a messy bowlful of fries, gravy and curds
• Tire sur la Niege – Quebec’s signature taffy made with oodles of Maple syrup
• Cheese – Quebec revels in its cheeses and a must-try is the route de frommage – a cheese route for tourists.
• Tourtieré – the traditional meat pie that tastes divine

Fun, frolic, snow, lip smacking food and non-stop partying; this isn’t the world’s largest winter carnival for no reason! Come and be a part of the festivities and share your experience with us when you are back!