Quebec Winter Carnival

Begun as a tradition of getting together before lent to feast and drink, Quebec’s Winter Carnival has become 17 days of winter sports, dogsled races, snow sculpting, parades, singing and of course eating, drinking and entertainment. Traditional festival activities like drinking 'caribou', a potent mix of brandy, vodka, sherry and port, the construction of an approximately 20 m high ice castle, and the playing of long ceremonial trumpets make this festival more than just a party to celebrate winter sports.

Other unique events include the canoe race, where part of the course is frozen over and competitors have to drag their canoes, and snow bath where people bathe in snow before thawing in the saunas. More than a million locals and visitors join in the celebrations each January and enjoy a winter wonderland of activities amid the background of colourfully lit snow and ice sculptures.