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Celebrate Winter at Ottawa's Family-Friendly Winterlude Festival
Published by Tammy Burns, Writer
Country: Canada 
The Experience
The annual Winterlude festival in Ottawa, Canada, is a celebration of all things cold, icy, and distinctly Canadian. With ice sculpting contests, snow slides, and of course, skating on the famous Rideau Canal, it’s a chilly way to embrace the coldest month of the year—a time when most of us would rather be bundled up indoors.
The main hubs of the Winterlude festival are Confederation Park, Jacques-Cartier Park, and the Rideau Canal, all of which have tons of family-oriented activities.
Confederation Park, at the head of the Rideau Canal, is home to the Crystal Garden, where an international ice-sculpting contest takes place. Throughout the Winterlude festival, incredible feats of ice sculpting are on display, and guests can even try their own skills with hands-on demonstrations. There is also live music and snack stands offering hot chocolate, apple cider, hot dogs, maple taffy, and Ottawa’s most famous treat: beaver tails (a fried dough pastry smothered in your choice of cinnamon, maple butter, chocolate, or garlic and cheese).
Meanwhile, across the river in Gatineau, Jacques-Cartier Park is home to Snowflake Kingdom: the largest snow playground in North America. There are snow slides, snow sculptures, a bunny ski hill, horsedrawn sleigh rides, kicksled rides (essentially a chair on skis), and some years there’s a snow maze.
But it’s the Rideau Canal Skateway that is probably the most iconic Winterlude spot. It is the world’s largest skating rink, stretching out at 7.8 kilometres (just under 5 miles) and running through the heart of downtown Ottawa. During the Winterlude festival, the Rideau Canal is home to art exhibits, skating demonstrations, hockey games, and an annual Bedzzz Bed Race (which is exactly what it sounds like—a race in which contestants wheel beds along the canal). The Skateway is also lined with snack kiosks offering the usual Winterlude treats, including those famous beaver tails.
If all that time outside gets to be too much, many of Ottawa’s museums, such as the Science and Technology Museum, the Museum of Nature, and the Museum of Civilization, have special winter displays and special rates in honour of the festival. And of course, given that Ottawa is Canada’s capital city, you can visit some sites of the federal government, including Parliament Hill, the Royal Canadian Mint, the Prime Minister’s house on Sussex Drive, and the Governor General’s residence, Rideau Hall.
Finally, when all that sightseeing and winter fun leave you hungry, visit one of the many Ottawa restaurants offering Taste of Winterlude menus. These restaurants have prix-fixe (fixed price) menus or special winter-themed dishes in honour of the festival.
The main hubs of the Winterlude festival are Confederation Park, Jacques-Cartier Park, and the Rideau Canal, all of which have tons of family-oriented activities.
Confederation Park, at the head of the Rideau Canal, is home to the Crystal Garden, where an international ice-sculpting contest takes place. Throughout the Winterlude festival, incredible feats of ice sculpting are on display, and guests can even try their own skills with hands-on demonstrations. There is also live music and snack stands offering hot chocolate, apple cider, hot dogs, maple taffy, and Ottawa’s most famous treat: beaver tails (a fried dough pastry smothered in your choice of cinnamon, maple butter, chocolate, or garlic and cheese).
Meanwhile, across the river in Gatineau, Jacques-Cartier Park is home to Snowflake Kingdom: the largest snow playground in North America. There are snow slides, snow sculptures, a bunny ski hill, horsedrawn sleigh rides, kicksled rides (essentially a chair on skis), and some years there’s a snow maze.
But it’s the Rideau Canal Skateway that is probably the most iconic Winterlude spot. It is the world’s largest skating rink, stretching out at 7.8 kilometres (just under 5 miles) and running through the heart of downtown Ottawa. During the Winterlude festival, the Rideau Canal is home to art exhibits, skating demonstrations, hockey games, and an annual Bedzzz Bed Race (which is exactly what it sounds like—a race in which contestants wheel beds along the canal). The Skateway is also lined with snack kiosks offering the usual Winterlude treats, including those famous beaver tails.
If all that time outside gets to be too much, many of Ottawa’s museums, such as the Science and Technology Museum, the Museum of Nature, and the Museum of Civilization, have special winter displays and special rates in honour of the festival. And of course, given that Ottawa is Canada’s capital city, you can visit some sites of the federal government, including Parliament Hill, the Royal Canadian Mint, the Prime Minister’s house on Sussex Drive, and the Governor General’s residence, Rideau Hall.
Finally, when all that sightseeing and winter fun leave you hungry, visit one of the many Ottawa restaurants offering Taste of Winterlude menus. These restaurants have prix-fixe (fixed price) menus or special winter-themed dishes in honour of the festival.
When to Go to Winterlude Festival Ottawa
Winterlude runs for the first three weeks of February.
The last weekend of the Winterlude Festival events coincide with the Family Day holiday. As such, it is when the festival is at its busiest, so be prepared for booked-up hotels, long line-ups at cafes and restaurants, and lots of children whipping past you on the Canal.
The last weekend of the Winterlude Festival events coincide with the Family Day holiday. As such, it is when the festival is at its busiest, so be prepared for booked-up hotels, long line-ups at cafes and restaurants, and lots of children whipping past you on the Canal.
Odds n' Ends
Wear lots of layers. Ottawa can be very cold and windy, and you’ll be outside most of the time. If you’re heading to Snowflake Kingdom with the kiddies, be sure to dress them (and you!) in a full snowsuit so they can comfortably ride the snow slides.
If you’re skating the Rideau Canal, remember that it is almost 8 km long one-way, and however far you go, you'll have to skate back just as far. Bring a backpack with boots to change into so that you can take off your skates if you get too tired.
Skating on the Canal is free, but you can rent skates and/or sleds for a small fee. As well, bring some money for snacks: the skateway is lined with treat stands offering hot chocolate, apple cider, beaver tail pastries, maple taffy, and other Canadian winter goodies that will tempt you along the way.
Check the Rideau Canal’s ice conditions before you go. The city of Ottawa monitors the conditions daily (posted at www.canadascapital.gc.ca), as do most hotels. Remember that the Canal is not a man-made rink, and as such, the skating season and ice conditions can change from year-to-year, or even day-to-day, depending on the weather.
If you’re skating the Rideau Canal, remember that it is almost 8 km long one-way, and however far you go, you'll have to skate back just as far. Bring a backpack with boots to change into so that you can take off your skates if you get too tired.
Skating on the Canal is free, but you can rent skates and/or sleds for a small fee. As well, bring some money for snacks: the skateway is lined with treat stands offering hot chocolate, apple cider, beaver tail pastries, maple taffy, and other Canadian winter goodies that will tempt you along the way.
Check the Rideau Canal’s ice conditions before you go. The city of Ottawa monitors the conditions daily (posted at www.canadascapital.gc.ca), as do most hotels. Remember that the Canal is not a man-made rink, and as such, the skating season and ice conditions can change from year-to-year, or even day-to-day, depending on the weather.
Places to Eat
- Aulde Dubliner
- Located in ByWard Market, this cozy pub is a great place to tuck into comfort food. If you’re in the mood for greasy appetizers, try the sweet potato fries or the deep-fried pickles.
- Le Moulin de Provence
- Bustling French bakery in historic Byward Market, offering homemade breads, decadent pastries, and fresh salads. Perhaps most famous for its “Obama cookies” (shortbread in the shape of a maple leaf), named in honour of a 2009 visit and cookie purchase by the U.S. president.
- Eighteen
- A trendy, upscale restaurant in ByWard Market with incredible food and service, and a sleek, old world-meets-modern décor. Expensive, but worth the splurge.
- D'Arcy McGees
- Popular Irish-themed pub on Sparks Street, located conveniently close to the Rideau Canal, Confederation Park, and the Parliament Buildings. It can be extremely busy during the festival, however, so be prepared to wait for a table.
Recommended Places to Stay
- Chateau Laurier
- For pure convenience and Canadian history, this is the place to stay during Winterlude. It’s a beautiful, castle-like building, conveniently located next to Parliament Hill and at the foot of the Rideau Canal, and has hosted such famous guests as Queen Elizabeth, Nelson Mandela, and the Dalai Lama. It can be expensive, though, and isn’t necessarily good for children – because the hotel is so old, the walls are paper-thin. As well, the pool area only holds a max of 20 people – which means that during peak times, you may be stuck on a waiting list if you want to swim.
- Lord Elgin
- A beautiful, historic hotel located directly across from Confederation Park and the Rideau Canal. Amenities include an indoor pool, saunas, and whirlpool - perfect for relaxing after a long skate on the Canal.
Additional Places to Stay Nearby
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