Best Winter Festivals and Celebrations in Canada. Canadians know how to celebrate winter embracing snow exuberance and creative style in Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario make enjoying winter with kids seem easy and fun with sled dog rides, ice painting and bannock roasting all part of the mix. 

Jasper in January (mid January to February). Winter always looks good in Alberta as exemplified by Jaspers spunky string of activities scheduled to launch the year. In addition to classic winter sports, a blues/fusion dance workshop, a Robbie Burns celebration with pipes, Foodapalooza and haggis tasting there will be live music at Marmot Basin, sled dog rides, awesome fireworks, ice skating, ice climbing, tobogganing, fat-biking, and snowshoeing. Bonus Points: Winterstruck, a family-friendly event at Pyramid Lake features  ice skating, snowshoeing, horse-drawn sleigh rides, dog-sledding, bannock-making demonstrations, and interactive children’s activities. (www.jaspercanadianrockies.com)
 
Niagara Falls Winter Festival of Lights (mid-November - end of January). This amazing festival features more than 120 spectacular illuminations, including the world-famous Enchantment of Disney® displays including the iconic TD RINK at the Brink, the breathtaking Fireworks over the Falls, the CYTEC Candy Cane Lane 5k Race & Fun Run, and a Christmas concert series.  Bonus Points: From now until the end of February one of the most magical ice skating rinks in all of Canada - the TD RINK at the Brink - an open-air, outdoor ice skating rink located a snowball's throw of Horseshoe Falls. This is an ideal spot to view both the American and Horseshoe Falls, along with nighttime illuminations weekly fireworks all part of the Winter Festival of Lights. (www.WFOL.com or Niagara Parks Commission at www.NiagaraParks.com)

“Bal de Niege” or Winterlude in Ottawa (each February). Winterlude or Bal Niege (each February). This annual celebration is always terrific for families because of the number of unique activities offered throughout Ottawa. The festival offers dazzling fireworks and comfy encounters with the Hog Family – the festival mascots who will certainly cause laughter with their antics.  It is a chance to skate along the Rideau Canal Skateway - the world’s largest skating rink and to play within Snowflake Kingdom at Jacques-Cartier Park in Gatineau - the biggest snow playground on the continent and home to the Chinook tube slide.  Festival goers will have the chance to skate on the “Rink of Dreams” and taste beavertail or connect with Bob the Builder at the Canadian Children’s Museum. The National Arts Centre Orchestra and Shenkman Arts Centre will present Kinderconcerts with storytelling and musical magic. In Jacques-Cartier Park it will be possible to try a kicksled or take your children animal tracking on snow shoes. Bonus Points: Take advantage of free Family Day activities at many locations which include stories, games, songs, interactive family fun. (www.winterlude.gc.ca)

Winnipeg Festival Voyageur in Manitoba (late February). While Carnaval in Québec is a huge block party Festival du Voyageur is “The World’s Largest Kitchen Party”, with an emphasis on the beauty of winter, numerous historical, educational and entertaining activities, and scrumptious food and drink of the season. The 10-day province-wide celebration of sights, sounds, snow and spirit focuses on the joie de vivre of the fur traders, who established the Red River Colony. Experience Manitoba’s Joie de Vivre in Whittier Park’s winter wonderland known during the Festival as Voyageur Park. Gigantic sculptures reaching up to 50 foot long and 18 foot high create an icy atmosphere. During the snowy months on the weekends you’ll find free programming and fun activities for the whole family. Bonus Points: In addition to ice skating, activities include broomball, candlelight skating, torchlight walks, arctic digs, snow shoe workshops, ice sculpting, and ice painting. Wait for it! Winnipeg’s River Trail is the Guiness World Record-holding longest naturally frozen skating trail in the world.  (www.FestivalVoyageur.mb.ca)

Content researched and posted by Nancy Nelson-Duac, Curator of the Good Stuff for the FamilyTravelFiles.com. Images courtest Canadian Heritage for Winterlude, Jasper in January, and ed by Winnipeg’s Festival Voyageur Copyright 2017.