Festive Canada

its richly diverse population, Canada is home toIn the run up to Labour Day, Exhibition Place is the
countless festivals and celebrations ranging fromscene of carnival rides and games, agricultural
native Inuit rites to traditional Christian events suchdisplays, art exhibits, acrobats, horse and dog shows,
as Xmas to the myriad festivities brought bymusical performances and plays, parades, air shows,
immigrants. Here we'll look at 3 uniquely Canadianand flower competitions. Meanwhile a bevy of
festivals - the Quebec Winter Carnival, Toronto'svendors sell toys, souvenirs and a wide range of
Canadian National Exhibition and the Vancouverinternational food. A much-anticipated part of the
Festival of Lights.CNE is the Canadian International Air Show held on
Given Canada’s size and chill climate, it's notLabour Day. This event features daredevil
surprising that it hosts the world's largest winterloop-de-loops and synchronized manoeuvres.
festival, the Quebec Winter Carnival (Carnaval deIn the summer months in Vancouver, the city's
Québec). The usually kicks off on the lastbeaches and parks are alive to a constant stream of
Friday of January or the first Friday of February andcelebrations. There's the Bard on the Beach, the
it continues for 17 days.10-day Jazz Festival, but most unique is the
The activities for the Quebec Winter Carnival areCelebration of Light, a two-week-long international
centred in an ice palace in front of the Quebecfirework competition that begins in late July. The
Parliament. The ice palace houses Bonhommeactual fireworks displays take up 4 nights of the
Carnaval, the MC of the festival. He takes the formfestival with two days in between for preparation.
of a large snowman wearing a red cap. The openingDisplays start at 10:00 pm and last for 25 minutes.
and closing ceremonies include musical performancesThe location is English Bay, a beautiful stretch of
and fireworks.beach in the south-western corner of downtown
Over the course of the festival, you can witness aVancouver's West End neighbourhood. The actual
rich and diverse range of activities includingfireworks are set off on barges floated out in the
international ice sculpture competitions, the dog agilitybay. Each competing country stages an hour-long
contest, art displays, a public ball, and a canoe racefirework show set to music.
between Québec and Lévis acrossDuring this festival the skies above the bay erupt
the freezing Saint Lawrence River. Other attractionsinto rainbows of colour which rains down into the sea.
are a 6-kilometre dog sled race from Quebec oldThe last day is particularly intense as the contestants
town to the Château Frontenac, and a snowwork overtime to impress spectators.
bath. The weekends see 2 night parades ofSo whatever festival attracts you, come to Canada
illuminated floats.and join in the celebrations. You'll be sure of having a
Meanwhile Toronto's Canadian National Exhibition isgreat time and get to know this great country in a
one of the biggest events in the whole of Northway no other can. The only difficulty with visiting the
America. The event dates all the way back to 1879events in Canada might be your accommodation. Be
when it began as a late summer agricultural fair.sure to have a reservation, because Toronto hotels
Better known to locals as the “CNE”or Vancouver hotels could be fully booked during the
or “The Ex,” the Canadian Nationalfestivals. Of course the Internet offers many
Exhibition runs for 18 days from August to earlyopportunities to book Canada hotels in advance.
September at Exhibition Place.