The 31st annual Winterlude festival, which begins Feb. 6, will feature “the world’s largest ice lobster” and other East Coast-inspired highlights as part of a celebration of New Brunswick’s 225th anniversary.
The 2009 program for Ottawa’s showcase winter tourism event was unveiled by the National Capital Commission on Jan. 16, which also marked the official opening of the Rideau Canal Skateway along Centretown’s eastern boundary.
This year’s festival promises many old favourites, but has new tricks in store for the estimated 650,000 attendees over the weekends spanning Feb. 6 to 22.
“We’re keeping the same winning formula that we have,” said NCC spokesperson Julie Rocheleau. “All the classics with no drastic changes.”
The focus of activity on the weekend of Feb. 13 will be the 225th anniversary of the founding of New Brunswick as a British colony. Several venues will celebrate Acadian traditions in song, dance and storytelling. Visitors will also be able to admire the giant ice lobster and snack on a LobsterTail, the New Brunswick spinoff of the ever-popular Winterlude pastry produced by BeaverTails.
New Brunswick-born, bilingual pop singer Roch Voisine will also take centre stage on the Saturday night, capping Winterlude’s ode to the province.
This year’s musical lineup also includes six-time Juno award-winning guitar man Colin James as Winterlude’s kickoff act. The American Express Snowbowl, an outdoor amphitheatre, will also showcase Eagle & Hawk, the Jim Cuddy Band, Ariane Moffatt and Jully Black, along with other performances such as the Spring Action Trampoline Show.
Also new to the Winterlude lineup is the free outdoor sound-and-light show Ukiuk (pronounced ewk-yewk), sponsored by the Ontario government. The name means “winter” in Inuktitut and features a 20-minute presentation designed to represent the “heart of Canada’s winter.”
Winterlude events take place along the Rideau Canal and at several other official sites. Gatineau again offers an outdoor playground – the Sun Life Snowflake Kingdom – and other attractions at Jacques-Cartier Park. In downtown Ottawa, the festival features Confederation Park’s Rogers Crystal Garden and the American Express Snowbowl at the north end of the skateway near Rideau Street.
“Winterlude, Canada’s winter celebration, exemplifies our work at the National Capital Commission to create a capital region that is a window on our country,” said NCC’s chief executive Marie Lemay.
The canal skateway is a big part of this show. In its 39th season, the world’s “largest naturally frozen ice rink” — Winnipeg has laid claim to the longest with a narrow skating trail along the Red River — will play host to the Great Canadian Beaver Cup Pond Hockey Championships.
During what officials are calling the “New Brunswick Weekend,” Dow’s Lake will see 20 teams from across Canada compete in a four-on-four hockey competition for the Beaver Cup.
“The key to winter is to enjoy it,” says Patrick Dussault, spokesman for event sponsor American Express.
Lemay refused to be drawn into speculation about the potential impact of the OC Transpo bus strike on Winterlude if the labour dispute continues through the three-week festival.
“The last thing we would want to do is to get involved with that conflict,” she said.
The full Winterlude schedule can be viewed at http://www.winterlude.ca