Winterlude 2025

This is the Official Website for Winterlude 2025 - but that’s a real mouthful when referencing on-air during my radio show, so I figured I’d make a quick ‘highlights’ page for those who wanna know!

Winterlude is MOSTLY FREE - Week 1 is from January 31 to February 2. Week 2 is from February 7 to 10 and Week 3 is from February 14 to 17 (Family Day).

There are three MAIN Winterlude sites in Ottawa/Gatineau. They are:

• Sparks Street; sculptures, music and light show, sugar shack, parliament light display

• Byward Market; carriage rides, farmer’s market, synthetic rink,

• Snowflake Kingdom; tubing, maze, intro to skiing/snowboarding, obstacle course, drone shows

Here’s how you can access the sites via free SnoBus shuttle which operates:

BLUE CIRCUIT (between Robert-Guertin Park-and-Ride and Jacques-Cartier Park/Snowflake Kingdom) on Saturdays from 9am to 9pm, Sundays from 9am to 6pm

RED CIRCUIT (between Snowflake Kingdom to Sparks St.) on Saturdays from 10am to 5:30pm, Sundays 10am to 5:30pm and Family Day Monday (Feb. 17) from 10am to 3pm.

Rideau Canal Skateway is NOT part of Winterlude’s official programming but it’s been a great season for skaters so far, so I wanted to include it!

There is Winterlude themed programming (not free) at both the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau and the Museum of Nature in Ottawa. The Winter Jazz festival is also on at the Arts Court Theatre (not free).

photo by Amy Volume, Sparks Street, Ottawa