Canada's Quebec Winter Carnival is a prime winter destination and a major world ice festival. Join Bonhomme, Carnival King and mascot, in the fun!
By the year 1894 generations of fur trappers and French immigrants had passed through Quebec city's fortressed gates. She had experienced numerous wars with Indians, the British and the Americans. Her citizens had survived the often harsh elements. Toward the end of the 19th century many agreed that it was high time to relieve the hardships and tedium of Lower Canada's notoriously long and cold winters with some kind of festival. The mainly Catholic populace decided that the last week of January was the perfect time for just such a celebration since Lent was near. French trappers, a rowdy lot to begin with, heartily agreed. Their main contribution to the festivities was the now famous drink called "Caribou", a concoction that is said to have originally consisted of very cheap whiskey and caribou blood. And a drink that the trappers swore
was the best way to warm up on dark and snowy nights. Music, dancing, canoe and dog sled racing, skiing and skating along the frozen St. Lawrence River were some of the early and very popular Carnival events.
It wasn't until 1955 that the Quebec Winter Carnival (or Carnival de Quebec) was officially introduced. From the last week of January to mid-February everyone's mood is transformed into one of genuine joie-de-vivre, joy of life. Visitors flock to Quebec City and are welcomed with open arms and festive spirits and encouraged to think of nothing else but having fun. And if someone isn't having fun, Bonhomme, the giant snowman, and official mascot and King of the Winter Carnival, will find out and do his best to set things right. With his big smiling face, red touque and official sash, Bonhomme rules over all Carnival subjects from the moment he comes to town and is officially handed the key to Quebec City. Bonhomme's official residence is located at Place du Palais, just across from the Quebec parliament buildings. His specially crafted ice palace, a huge and glittering structure built over a period of 2 months, showcases a different theme each year, from old world or fairytale splendour to architecture that's a bit more new age. At night the ice palace is awash with spotlights, making it even more breathtaking.
Bonhomme's first official duty is the crowning of the Carnival Queen. Thousands crowd around his palace to get a first glimpse of the 7 lucky ladies vying for the title. After the Queen is chosen a dazzling fireworks display sets the tone for the next ten days of celebrating that include literally dozens of activities for the whole family. One of the major draws is the huge and colourful Carnival Parade that winds through the streets of the old city and showcases intricate floats, numerous marching bands and costumed characters from French legends and stories.
Carnival Street, or Sainte-Therese Street as it's commonly known, is another popular locale. Not only are there shops and restaurants galore for the most discriminating visitor, the streets are also lined with dozens of snow and ice sculptures. And if there's a sudden need to take the chill off due to dropping temperatures or an unexpected snow squall, large red "horns" of Caribou are readily available for a quick warm-up. Thesedays, however, the drink is made with less questionable, but an equally potent mix of whiskey, red wine or rum, and maple syrup.
For a city whose populace loves to sing and dance no Carnival would be complete without an official dance. Quebec City hosts numerous balls, galas and soirees during the Carnival that rival those of the Mardi Gras in New Orleans. The most popular Winter Carnival gala is Bohomme's Ball where one and all are invited and partake of a wonderful variety of food and drink, music and dancing -- and of course the pre-requisite fun!
French Canadians have always loved their sporting activities and the Carnival sees no shortage of these. Two of the most popular and crowd-pleasing events are the Dog Sled Competition where racers and their teams speed down a special course that winds through the city. Another huge draw is the International Canoe Race. Before the advent of more modern transportation, canoes were the only way to get from one point to another and to transport goods. Without the canoe the trappers, the courier de bois and other more adventuresome explorers could not have opened western Canada. The canoe race course covers a distance of 3.2 kilometres and is sometimes run under the harshest of weather conditions. Many times competitors endure sub-zero temperatures or must drag their canoes over or around ice floes to get across the St. Lawrence River. Often only the fittest and most tenacious end up making it to the other side.
The Plains of Abraham, once a battleground between French and English forces, is also transformed into the site for many other events and displays. Here visitors can sample authentic French Canadian maple syrup products or abori-
ginal arts and crafts. If staying in a nice
warm hotel is passe there are nice cozy igloos for rent. What about a sleigh ride along the river or a climb down a frozen waterfall called the Sugarloaf? If that doesn't strike an adventuresome chord there are always plenty of opportunities to join the singing and dancing revellers crowding the streets of Quebec City as they hoist yet another "horn" brimming with French Canadian Caribou!
The Quebec Winter Carnival - 3 weeks of mid-winter singing and dancing,games and competitions and fun and frolic that attracts people of all ages, different walks of life and from all over the world. It's one of the most popular Carnivals on the planet, its only rivals the New Orleans Mardi Gras and Rio de Janeiro's renowned carnival. The Quebec Winter Carnival - to all who attend the mandate is the same -- to have as much fun as they can in a city that's become as modern as any in the world yet still maintains its romantic old world flair.
