Vaughan Winter Festivals

City offers great opportunities for outdoor family fun

In Vaughan, Winterfest fever is high. The city is getting ready for its 16th winter festival, scheduled for February 13, 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at The Sports Village (2600 Rutherford Road).
This will be a unique opportunity for children to meet some of their beloved TV characters: Clifford the Big Red Dog, Max and Ruby, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Doo Doo the International Clown will all be there. The entire family can spend the day together in the open air. Winter, after all, is just another season for people to go out and have fun.
(For further information please call 905-832-8585, ext. 8075.)
The invitation to celebrate winter is also valid for the 37th Richmond Hill Winter Carnival, February 4 to 6. That's when the fun will be at Mill Pond Park, Trench & Mill Street, for the enjoyment of kids and grownups alike.
This year's shows include a reenactment of the famous 11th-century battle between Saxons and Normans, sled races, ice sculpting, a dog show, games, ponyrides, arts and crafts, snowboarding contests and musical entertainment with the Alexander Mackenzie High School Band, Lou Moore Band, Aloha Elvis, and Arsenals Reggae Band.
Fun is guaranteed at the 37th Richmond Hill Winter Carnival, opening officially on Saturday, February 5, at 12:30 p.m. The activities will begin on February 4 at 7 p.m., running on February 5 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on February 6 from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Call 905-771-5478, or visit www.wintercarnival.net.)


Bonhomme Launches the Quebec Carnival
Come and celebrate winter in la belle provence

For 17 days, from January 28 to February 13, the Quebec Carnival will offer sports, arts and culture to anybody willing to have fun and celebrate winter.
For the past 50 years, the Québec Winter Carnival has been a unique event, drawing to the Francophone city one-million visitors annually, which represents a major event for the local economy. Every edition of the Carneval de Québec generates $22 million in turnover for the tourist industry.
At the same time, the festival's organization has steadily improved: events will run from early morning to late evening in four different parts of Quebec City.
Traditional activities include the parade with floats, bands, clowns, and musicians, closed by Bonhomme Carnaval, the festival mascot. There will be a canoe race, a mainstay of the carnival, in which numerous teams will take part and which takes place along the banks of the St. Lawrence River between Quebec City and Levis.
Those intimidated by the cold will be stunned by the sight of 75 courageous people takiing a bath in the icy waters of the river, dressed only in a bathing suit.
Lovers of ice sculptures will be treated to a variety of subjects. Each year, over 50 teams from over 30 countries compete in the event, held on January 28.
There will be sled races, concerts, ice skating, shows for the kids, and other family events, all within the framework of the Quebec Carnival. Bonhomme Carnaval will bring joy and mirth to all the participants.

Publication Date: 2005-01-30
Story Location: http://tandemnews.com/viewstory.php?storyid=4877