Special Sub-Topic: All About Winterlude Click Here To Play: All About Winterlude

Canada has two official languages: English and French. As Ottawa is the capital of Canada, almost everything has a French and English name, and Winterlude is no exception. So what is Winterlude en francais?

Bal de neige. Bal de neige means "Snow Ball" and is the official French name for Winterlude, although Fete d'hiver ("Winter Fest") would make more sense.

The mascots of Winterlude are a family of beavers.

f. The mascots of Winterlude are a family of groundhogs known as the IceHogs or Glamottes in French. There is a father (Papa), a mother (Mama) and two children (Nouma and Noumi).

Winterlude obviously takes place during the winter. In which winter month is it held?

February. Winterlude is usually held the first three weekends in February.

There are many places in the Ottawa-Gatineau region that Winterlude activities take place at. Where should I go if I wanted to participate in the Arctic Ice Dig?

Confederation Park. Confederation Park is located across from the City Hall and is where the ice sculptures, Crystal Lounge and the Arctic Ice Dig are located, among other things. The Arctic Ice Dig is an event held the last weekend of Winterlude where children under the age of 13 can chisel away at a large ice block (With the help of volunteers and/or their parents) in order to get to one of the many Winterlude souvenirs trapped inside. The souvenirs are usually plastic animals such as whales, wolves, polar bears etc.

Where would I go if I wanted to see snow sculptures?

Jacques-Cartier Park. Jacques-Cartier Park is on the Gatineau side of Ottawa and is where the snow sculptures and snow slides are located. During Winterlude, Jacques-Cartier Park is known as the "Snowflake Kingdom". Ice sculptures are located at Confederation Park ("Crystal Garden")

The traditional food of Winterlude is the Beaver Tail.

t. Believe it or not, it's true. Beaver Tails are a fried dough pastry which are offered with a variety of toppings including, cinnamon and brown sugar, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, lemon juice, maple syrup and even onions.

Winterlude has been around for quite awhile. In which year was Winterlude first celebrated?

1978. Winterlude celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2008.

On what CANESCO world heritage site is Winterlude held?

Rideau Canal. The Rideau Canal is the world's longest naturally frozen skating rink.

The local bus service, OC Transpo, run special buses that go between the parks during Winterlude. What are these buses called?

Sno-Bus. Sno-Buses do not use the normal bus pass or tickets. You must get a special ticket worth about 3 dollars to take it.

Of course Winterlude needs many people to run the festival. Which of these groups are responsible for bringing people Winterlude each year?

The National Capital Commission. The National Capital Commission, or NCC, brings on hundreds of volunteers to help with Winterlude and the many other activities they run. They are responsible for the celebrations on Parliament Hill on Canada Day and also run the Tulip Festival.