At this time of year, all the cold and snow is getting a little old, but it just happens to be the perfect weather for Winterlude.
Winterlude is Ottawa’s annual winter festival held downtown in Confederation Park. Whether you go with your family, roomies, or better half, it’s a great place for Carleton collegiettes to enjoy winter and check out some seriously cool artwork. It’s perfect a lazy weekend afternoon, or any time between now and February 20.
Still not sold? Here are Her Campus Carleton’s reasons why you should go!
1. Skating!
Thanks to the Rideau Canal, you can lace up at Carleton, pull on your mittens and toque, and skate right through to Confederation Park. Getting out and enjoying some fresh air after being in the tunnels is not only a good idea but also good for you. And it doesn’t matter what level your skating skills are at; whether you’re hockey headliner or a beginner, you are guaranteed a good time. And you can stops along the way to grab some beaver tails and hot cocoa.
2. Dating!
Whether it’s a first date or ongoing romance, get out together and do something different than the usual dinner and movie. You can grab some poutine amidst the chaos and enjoy the different art exhibits sprinkled around the grounds. You can also go at night and see the sculptures lit up in a variety of colours and listen to live music without a cover charge.
3. The ice sculptures!
These are Winterlude’s main attraction! Crafted by teams of two who have come to Ottawa from around the world, the sculptors begin their creations on the opening day and the works are in constant progress until the final judging. An award of $3,000 goes to the prizewinners on the final weekend. The sculptures are housed under white tents to maintain a cold temperature during the festival and a variety of subjects are explored, from spiders to the celebration of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
You can even get a team together and transform your own ideas into a prized sculpture on February 18, during the 11:30am to 2:30pm public ice carving competition. And for those less successful, there will be workshop to learn the tools and tips of the trade on February 19.
4. Live music!
Winterlude’s Ice Lounge features a mix of live and recorded music with everything from DJ’s to francophone musicians. There is also live music right on the Rideau Canal making the 7.8-kilometer skating rink into a massive concert venue.
No matter what time of year, even in the dead of winter, you can still enjoy getting outside and participating in Ottawa’s culture and the city itself. Winterlude is a great way to do this and promises not only a good time but also a great way to temporarily escape from some of the stress that comes with university life.
Check out their website for more info!
Photo credit: Kirsten Fenn, Flickr user ~T.J.~