Winterlude is here again! This is an exciting time in my city and one of the only things that will get me to drive downtown. Winterlude is an annual festival in the National Captial Region, Ottawa and Gatineau, that started in 1979 (thank you
Wikipedia for knowing almost everything.)
The event takes place over three weeks with multiple sites in both provinces that provide tons of wintry activities, public art installations, concerts, and food. Winterlude is best known for public skating on the Rideau Canal. For me, Winterlude is two things: the international ice sculpting completion and Beavertails.
This is my fourth Winterlude since moving back. The past three years I've gone after the International Ice Sculpture competition had already been judged. This year we went on the first Saturday and got to watch the carvers at work.
There were a number of interesting interactive installations. One was a piano that had lights open for anyone to play. While we were walking by someone was playing the Charlie Brown song. I've never wanted to learn the piano more. The activity pictured above was a public ice sculpture where you could add coloured ice.
Next to the free Tim's coffee line, we finally found a coffee big enough for Susi!
This last photo was an public art piece that gets brighter as people hug it. There were a few others I really enjoyed but hadn't thought to take a picture. Maybe next week, we plan to return next Saturday to see who won the ice sculpture competition... and get another beavertail.
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