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Your 2025 Winterlude Guide

Jan 23, 2025
2 min read

Sparks Street is preparing to officially welcome the winter season in the most delightful way: by hosting the iconic Winterlude festival, from January 31st - February 17th.

This iconic event, spanning three exciting weekends from late January to mid February, has been a staple of Ottawa’s cultural landscape since 1979. It offers both residents and tourists the opportunity to enjoy the wonders of winter, featuring outdoor activities, comforting treats, and beautiful ice sculptures.


This year, each weekend of the festival will follow a theme:

Weekend 1: Take part in unique activities that showcase the richness and traditions of Indigenous cultures.

Weekend 2: Immerse yourself in the heritage of our country's diversity.


Weekend 3: Enjoy a family weekend celebrating Canada’s history, culture and traditions.


The programming will compliment these themes, enhancing the experience for festival-goers.


What you can expect to see on Sparks Street



Select participating Sparks Street establishments will offer visitors an enhanced Winterlude experience, by incorporating unique menu items inspired by sugar shack delights. From classic Canadian inspired treats to maple themed drinks, you'll want to add this to your Winterlude food tour this year! 


Visit here for menu details.



Sparks Street is thrilled to introduce DJs Live from the Booth: Winterlude Edition, a vibrant addition to the beloved annual Winterlude festival. This brand new series will compliment Winterlude themes during the festival and will support inclusivity, diversity and accessibility for performers and visitors alike.


Visit here for more details, including lineup.



Celebrate life, family, love and diversity on Sparks Street this Winterlude season. Enhance your experience with a deliciously comforting brunch hosted by Nate's Deli. 


Visit here for ticket details.


Indigenous Experience on Sparks


On three separate days during Winterlude, 2,000 samples of Bannock and cedar tea will be offered daily. This event introduces the Bannock & Tea experience launching at Mādahòkì Farm in spring 2025 as a year-round offering.


Visit here for the schedule.


Ice Carvings & Demonstrations


Marvel at stunning ice carvings and witness carving demonstrations along Sparks Street. Walk the street and see what you can discover.


Visit here for the schedule.



Produced by the Library of Parliament, this free 45-minute multimedia attraction takes visitors on a 360° journey through the main Parliament Building, also known as Centre Block, which closed in 2019 for long-term rehabilitation. The experience brings the history, art and architecture of this iconic building to life in vivid sensory detail. It's a great addition to your Winterlude itinerary and escape from the cold.


Visit here to book now.


For more details and the full Winterlude schedule, visit here. We look forward to having you for another magical season on Sparks Street!

 
 
 

98 Comments


Radit Mansur
Radit Mansur
2 days ago

Three weekends of ice sculptures, outdoor activities, and comforting treats sounds like the perfect Ottawa winter itinerary. I’m bookmarking this guide and checking out https://art-list.pro/art-styles/retro-poster

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wilona nurlaila
4 days ago

Three weekends of ice sculptures, outdoor activities, and comforting treats sounds like the perfect way to embrace Ottawa’s winter. I’m planning my visit with this guide and have also been using https://tinkercad.site

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Abbey Lee
4 days ago

Spent way too long on Poki last weekend — started with one puzzle game and ended up trying like five different ones. Everything loads right in the browser which is nice when you just want something quick without installing anything. The variety is honestly what keeps me coming back.

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Milan Morales
5 days ago

Three weekends of ice sculptures, outdoor activities, and comforting treats sounds like the perfect Ottawa winter escape. I’m bookmarking this guide for planning ahead—check out https://fashn.pro

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Mai Quang
Sep 15

The three-weekend format makes it easy to catch the ice sculptures and warm up with local treats. I’m bookmarking this guide for planning my Winterlude visits. Check out https://klingapi.site/showcase

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