Best Guide for the Quebec Winter Carnival 2025
Winter is generally not my favourite time of year, but as a Canadian, I have learned to make the best of it! That’s not always the sentiment when you are travelling with kids.
However, we do enjoy finding new winter activities to share with the family. But they do require a little more planning to make sure that everyone is happy and having a great time.
The Québec Winter Carnival, or the Carnaval de Québec, is definitely a bucket list-worthy experience! And with plenty of amazing activities for both adults and kids, we just couldn’t wait to visit!
What is the Quebec Winter Carnival?
The Quebec Winter Carnival was originally a way to break up the cold mid-winter blues and an early celebration of Lent. It takes place every year from the end of January until mid-February.
Family-friendly with plenty of events to keep everyone entertained, the Quebec Winter Carnival activities are spread out over several venues throughout Old Québec City.
Up to one million people attend the Carnival annually. This makes it not only one of the largest winter festivals in the world but also one of the biggest tourism draws for the city.
To this day, the Québec Winter Carnival remains an important feature of the local history, culture, and economy.
When is the Quebec Winter Carnival?
The Quebec Winter Carnival will be taking place from Friday, February 7 to Sunday, February 16, 2025.
While certain events, like the parades, will only take place on the weekends, activities like viewing the snow sculptures or visiting the venues, are open for the entire duration of the carnival.
How to get to the Quebec Winter Carnival
If you are coming from a distance, you can fly into either Jean Lesage International Airport in Québec City or Montréal’s Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport. From either airport, you would then need to rent a car to drive into Old Québec City.
If you are travelling from Toronto, it will be approximately an 8-hour drive. You would head across Highway 401E until you hit the A 30, and then on to the Trans Canada Highway. This takes you into Old Quebec City.
23 of the Best Quebec Winter Carnival Activities for Kids
If you’re wondering what to do at the Quebec Winter Carnival, we have put together a list of some of the best Winter Carnival activities on offer.
☃️ NOTE: Keep in mind that activities change annually. So, not all the activities listed below may be available. The best way to keep up to date with the planned programming for this year is to visit the official Québec Winter Carnival website.
1. Visit Bonhomme’s Winterland
Bonhomme’s Winterland is located on the historic Plains of Abraham. This large area is where the majority of the Quebec Winter Carnival activities take place.
And although these activities change yearly, you are sure to find something for the whole family to enjoy.
Zip down an ice slide on a toboggan, watch snow masters compete in the annual snow sculpture competition, lead your own dog sled team, or ride the Ferris wheel to get an aerial view of the grounds.
2. Take a Thrilling Toboggan Ride
Located in front of the Château Frontenac, on the Dufferin Terrace, is the attraction you don’t want to miss! This was something we were all looking forward to doing.
The Toboggan is a century-old ice slide that is open from mid-December until mid-March or even later if weather permits.
There are 3 lanes of ice, and each toboggan holds up to four passengers. But be sure to hold on tightly to your hats, as you can reach speeds of up to 70km/h on the way down!
The cost is $3 per person, or $10 for 4 tickets, and is definitely worth it for the thrill!
3. Enjoy a Horse-Drawn Carriage Ride
What better way to enjoy viewing all that Carnaval has to offer, than from a traditional horse-drawn carriage? Rides take place around the snowy Plains of Abraham and are truly scenic and relaxing.
Horse-drawn carriage rides generally last around 20 minutes with blankets provided to make sure you stay toasty warm!
4. Admire the Snow and Ice sculptures Around the Petit Champlain Neighbourhood
Every year, the Québec Winter Carnival holds an International Snow Sculpture Competition that sees local and international sculptors create magical sculptures around a theme of their choice.
We, unfortunately, missed all the ice and snow sculpture carving events, but it didn’t mean that we could not enjoy these awesome creations. Some of the best snow sculptures could be found right inside Bonhomme’s Ice Palace.
These huge sculptures were amazing works of art! The kids enjoyed looking at all the incredible details.
And a short walk through Old Québec City is all you need to do to check out the ice sculptures. Everywhere we looked, these smaller-scale works of art decorated the storefronts.
We even found a small playground that was made completely out of ice! Very cool… literally! Ha!
We would recommend taking a walk through the Old Town at night when the sculptures are lit up. It’s easier to see all the details, and they are much more magical-looking!
5. Watch the Ice Canoe Races
If you think canoeing is only a leisurely activity enjoyed in the summer, then wait until you see how this activity has transformed to become one of the most popular events in each year’s Winter Carnival.
Historically, canoes were the only method of transportation across the St. Lawrence. Now that other more practical methods of transportation exist, ice canoeing has become an extreme sport unique to Québec.
During the Québec Winter Carnival, teams from all over the world compete in the traditional ice canoe races. Teams of 5 athletes compete to push their canoes through a mixture of ice, slush, and water, on the partially frozen St. Lawrence River.
Racing their canoes across the river to Lévis and back again multiple times, the competitors have to alternate between rowing and jumping out of their canoes to push them across the ice. This event is definitely entertaining for kids and adults alike!
6. Enjoy Some Breakfast Courtesy of the Calgary Stampede
When visiting the Québec Winter Carnival, don’t forget to indulge in a FREE pancake and sausage breakfast, courtesy of the Calgary Stampede!
The breakfast venue was conveniently located steps from our hotel, at the Place D’Youville.
We came to learn that the Calgary Stampede shares a partnership with the Québec Winter Carnival.
Organizers from the Stampede make breakfast during the Carnival, and in return, Carnival organizers go to Calgary during the Stampede to cook for them.
It’s a great way to promote each other’s events! The breakfast was delicious and a great way to fuel up for the day’s activities.
7. Throw Some Axes
Axe throwing has become a pretty popular sport over the last few years. Available for participants 8 years and older, your effigy (more on the effigy later) now gets you into this exciting Quebec Winter Carnival activity.
And if you are a newbie at axe throwing, don’t worry! After a brief tutorial and pep talk from a staff member, you get five tries to hit your own bullseye.
8. Enjoy Fun Outdoor Games and Activities
La Cour Royale (Royal Court) was another venue that was just bursting with Quebec Winter Carnival Activities for kids. There was so much to do here, we had a hard time picking what to see first!
One of our kids’ favourites was Le Labyrinthe Des Neiges – a low-walled maze made from ice. The kids were paired up to race through the labyrinth, all the while kicking a ball.
Next to Le Labyrinthe Des Neiges was an ice sculpture station. Here, the kids could let their imagination go wild as they build things with ice cubes, or even play a game of frozen Jenga!
9. Witness a Snow Bath
One of the more entertaining things to witness (and most definitely NOT take part in), is the Bain de Neige (Snow Bath) which is one of the Carnival’s most popular annual events.
This is where participants don bathing suits to frolic in the snow with Bonhomme for a few minutes at a time, return inside to warm up, only to come back out for more!
As crazy as this event sounds, advanced registration is required. This event actually sells out every year, so if this is your cup of tea, you will need to grab that bathing suit and register early!
10. Warm Up in Front of a Fire
After spending a couple of hours outside, finding a place to warm up might end up at the top of your to-do list. Don’t worry, the Quebec Winter Carnival organizers have thought of it all!
Spread throughout the venues, you will find several amazing seating areas with fire pits. The fire is always nicely stoked, and there is enough seating for the whole family.
Take a break, warm up, have a snack, and enjoy these cozy little areas for a bit of cuddling with your kids!
11. Go for a Tube Ride on the Old Quebec Fortification Walls!
Sliding from the top of the fortified walls is usually not something people would think to do while in Quebec City. But during Le Carnaval de Quebec, the rules are bent and this unique activity is allowed!
Have a seat on an inner tube, and enjoy the ride as you slide at top speed from Porte Kent to Place D’Youville. And if that doesn’t sound like enough fun already, the sliding adventure also features music and custom lighting.
Of course, some people may just want to enjoy regular snow tubing. Fear not, usually at least two of the Quebec Winter Carnival venues will have groomed tubing tracks of varying sizes, for the kids (and adults!) to whip down.
Pull your tube up the slope and wait for one of the volunteers to push – or spin – you down the gentle slope. So simple but sooooo much fun!
12. Try Some Maple Treats and Caribou
When you are visiting the Québec Winter Carnival, you definitely can’t forget about the treats! For the kids, they got to make maple taffy in the snow.
If you have never done this, taffy is made when warm maple syrup is poured onto a snow-covered table. You are then given a popsicle stick to roll up the taffy.
The kids loved making their own sweet treat, and was it ever good!
I also have a weakness for Maple anything, so I decided to try out a warm maple drink. Soooo good! I’m pretty sure I was only drinking slightly diluted warm maple syrup, but I didn’t care! YUMMMM!
Hubby, on the other hand, decided to try something a little harder – Caribou. If you have never heard of Caribou, it is a sweet French-Canadian alcoholic beverage. It is traditionally made from a mixture of red wine, rye whisky, and maple syrup.
Because citrus, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg are also added, Caribou tastes much like a mulled wine.
Caribou can be served both hot or cold. And both options are delicious! We found the cold version being served, where else, but at the ice bar in La Cour Royale.
Unlike the hot Caribou, we tried the night before, this one was served cold, in a shot glass made from ice! That was an interesting experience! And because it was FREEEEZING out, the glass did not melt at all!!
13. Drive a Dog Sled
If learning to mush a team of sled dogs is on your bucket list, the Quebec Winter Carnival might just be the place to do it! Head over to the Plains of Abraham to give this experience a try.
The route is much shorter than if you were to head out to a private tour company for the experience, but the price will also be smaller.
Not to mention, this is a great way to ‘sample’ this activity while taking part in one of the most unique Quebec Winter Carnival activities.
14. Tour the Ice Palace
Touring the Ice Palace is definitely a must when attending the Quebec Winter Carnival! The Palace, with its amazing walls of ice, is truly a sight to behold!
Inside the palace walls, you will find several activities for the kids to try, as well as some ice and snow sculptures to look at. Check the itinerary for the day, as this is also where you can take pictures with Bonhomme.
The last thing to check out inside the Ice Palace was an attraction called ‘Le rêve de Bonhomme’, or ‘Bonhomme’s Dream’. This was basically a small village set up inside the perimeter of a dome.
Projections are used to illuminate the town and tell a story with lights and music. The presentation was okay, although our kids were not really that interested.
The dome, however, was definitely a nice place to stop for a few moments in order to warm up a little. And the details of the little village are actually quite interesting to look at as well.
15. Meet Bonhomme, the King of the Quebec Winter Carnival
Before you leave the Ice Palace, don’t forget to get a family photo with the man of the hour, Bonhomme de Neige. Bonhomme, or snowman, is the official Master of Celebrations at the Québec Winter Carnival.
☃️ Fun Fact: Bonhomme de Neige always wears a special sash. Known as ceinture fléchée, they have become a major part of French Canadian cultural heritage and national identity. Arrowhead sashes are also an essential component of traditional French Canadian clothing.
You can usually find Bonhomme posing for photos inside his Ice Palace, though he has also been known to circulate throughout the Carnival.
16. Play in the Snow
Although there is usually plenty enough snow to roll around in during Carnaval, some of the venues will also have huge blocks of snow with human shapes cut out of them. Jump into the fun shapes for some awesome photo opportunities and a few good giggles!
17. Ice Skate at Place D’Youville
Place D’Youville is situated right next to the wall which surrounds Old Québec. This rink is well maintained, and best of all, it’s FREE to skate on.
Place D’Youville also has an indoor area where you will find skate rentals, as well as room to sit while putting on your skates. We came prepared with our own ice skates, but it was nice to have a warm place to put them on.
The rink is open all day, so we were able to go for a morning skate, as well as take in the ambiance of all the Christmas lights, during an evening skate.
18. Try Some Poutine
If you have never heard of it before, Poutine is a dish made from French fries and cheese curds and is topped with brown gravy. But the toppings don’t end there!
We have tried Lobster Poutine, braised beef poutine, and a version with fried eggs on top. So far, we have not tasted a poutine dish that has not been delicious!
And because Québec is famous for its Poutine, you should definitely not leave without trying some!
19. Explore the Venues at Night
Don’t forget to visit the venues at night! Not only does everything look amazing lit up, but there are also many more events going on that don’t happen during the day.
And make sure to bundle up extra well. If you are going to be out late, the temperature will drop considerably.
Across the street from La Cour Royale, was another Québec Winter Carnival main venue. Videotron Bonhomme’s Campground had a bar (hello second serving of warm maple drink!), live music, and activities for kids to take part in.
We played a few supersized Wii games, played in the playground, and looked at a few vendors’ stalls. The live music was pretty good, and there were more than enough Quebec Winter Carnival activities to keep the kids occupied!
20. Check Out the Night Parades
Once it gets dark, it’s time to make your way to the Parade route. The route fills up pretty quickly near the venues, so you may have to walk a little further along to get a good vantage spot.
And just a heads up, this parade is different from what most people are used to. We soon figured out that the parade moved along the route from one station to the next.
At each station, the parade would stop, and the performers would put on a show. When the show was complete, the parade would move along to the next station, stop, and do the performance.
We enjoyed the show, however, it was soooo cold out, that we were having a hard time standing still and waiting for the next performance to begin.
Instead, we began walking to the beginning of the parade route, only stopping if we saw something that really caught our interest.
The displays and performances were amazing, but definitely make sure that you are prepared for the cold weather!
21. Explore Historic Quebec City
Exploring Old Québec City is definitely a must-do when attending the Quebec Winter Carnival.
Did you know that the historic district of Old Québec (Vieux Québec) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is the only remaining city still surrounded by fortified walls in North America?
With lots of unique shops, boutiques, and restaurants, there is something for everyone.
From souvenir shops to clothing stores, bookstores, a Christmas shop, and some high-end boutiques, you are pretty much guaranteed that you will find what you are looking for!
And if you are looking for a snack or somewhere to sit for a meal, the Old City is definitely the place to be.
From fresh baguettes to gelato, cafes, gourmet popcorn, pastries, pizza, pubs, and burger places, you definitely don’t have to worry about going hungry!
22. Ride the Funiculaire du Vieux-Québec
The Funiculaire du Vieux-Québec, or funicular in English, is a cliffside cable car that connects the Dufferin Terrace at the top to the Louis Jolliet house in the Quartier Petit-Champlain below.
Originally built in 1879, the funicular has seen many transformations and updates, including a complete overhaul in 1998. The cable car is 64 meters (210 feet) long and travels at a 45-degree angle.
The cost is $3.75 per person, and it takes approximately 90 seconds to complete the trip. The view of the St. Lawrence River from inside the cable car is spectacular!
The Funiculaire is a perfect way to travel between the Upper and Lower Town for people with mobility issues, or for families with young kids and strollers.
The “Breakneck Stairs” are your second option for quick access to the Upper and Lower Towns. So named, as they are quite steep, and get very slippery in the winter, the Breakneck Stairs are not good for people with mobility issues.
The Lower Town, or Quartier Petit Champlain, is a gorgeous neighbourhood of cute little boutiques and bistros.
If you didn’t know better, you would think you were in a small European town. With the fresh snow that was falling, and the decorative lights twinkling in the night, the atmosphere was magical!
23. Explore a ‘Castle’
The Fairmont Le Château Frontenac may not be a castle per se, but it definitely gives off some serious castle vibes! Built in 1893 by the Canadian Pacific Railway Company, the gorgeous Château was one of the first completed grand railway hotels.
The Château sits on the eastern edge of the Old City, overlooking the St. Lawrence River, and is said to be one of the most photographed hotels in the world. It was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1981.
Head inside and you will find some gorgeous architecture, as well as some of the best Christmas decor around! You don’t need to be a guest to wander the main hall and admire the beautiful display of Christmas trees!
Tips for Visiting the Quebec Winter Carnival
- Purchase your Effigies ahead of time. An Effigy is like a passport and is worn as a pendant on your coat throughout the event. Effigies are required to access all of the venues and are valid for the entire duration of the Carnaval. Not only is it different every year, but the Effigy is always representative of Bonhomme de Neige. In fact, it has become quite the collectors’ item over the years!
- Download a map of the venues and an itinerary of the day’s special events before you head out. This way you won’t miss out on something your family is really interested in seeing or doing.
- Dress for the weather! You will be spending much of your time outdoors at the Quebec Winter Festival. Quebec can be FREEEEZING at times, so you need to come prepared! Make sure you are wearing a good breathable base layer (not cotton) so you don’t end up sweating. Next, layer on some comfortable clothing that you can move in. You will be doing a lot of physical activities, after all! Your last layer should include snow pants, a warm winter coat, boots with good traction, a toque (winter hat), a scarf and gloves or mittens. We also recommend bringing along some HotHands (warming packs) to put in your mitts and boots for extra warmth!
Where to Stay at the Quebec Winter Carnival
There are several hotels that we would recommend for your visit to the Quebec Winter Carnival. Many of them have incredible amenities and are located just a short distance from the venues.
But our favourite hotel to stay at in Québec City is the Hotel Palace Royal. The hotel is conveniently located just minutes from the Old City and about a 20-minute walk to the Winter Carnival Venues.
We found the hotel to be clean, with plenty of amenities, and the majority of the staff spoke fluent English.
There is also plenty of paid parking in the underground lot. We actually parked our car for the weekend, and walked everywhere!
Rooms
During our first stay, we enjoyed an Interior Garden Balcony Suite, which had a bedroom with a queen bed, and a Murphy bed in the sitting area.
The good-sized suite had a nice bathroom, and a kitchenette with a fridge, microwave, coffee maker, and sink. The room is spacious, and perfect for a family to spread out in.
The suite also had an interior balcony with a table and chairs, which overlooked the swimming pool. The kids enjoyed having their breakfast on the balcony, which meant that Hubby and I could sip our morning coffee in peace!
For our second stay, we opted for a Double Room, which was also quite comfortable. The room had two double beds, a large bathroom, and a small space with a microwave and a fridge.
The pool is a definite must-have for our family, as it’s another outlet for the kids to burn off some energy at the end of the day.
And of course, having a wonderful restaurant right in the hotel was also a plus. Considered Casual fine dining, the Le Beffroi was amazing!
We have eaten in the restaurant several times, and the food has never disappointed us! From delicious poutine dishes to steak, or mac and cheese, you are sure to find something that appeals to your tastebuds!
Quebec Winter Carnival – FAQs
Recognized around the world, the Québec Winter Carnival has become one of the largest winter events in the world. The Carnival is a celebration of all things French-Canadian.
Since its inception in 1955, the Quebec Winter Carnival has welcomed nearly 400,000 visitors from all over the world who enjoy celebrating the magic of winter.
The Effigy, which is your passport to Carnival, costs $25 (or $15 in advance). It can be purchased at most Carnaval sites or online in advance.
Bonhomme de Neige, the 7-foot-tall snowman, was declared the mascot of Carnaval in 1955.
Although French is the primary language spoken in Quebec, English is fairly common within Quebec City. However, the further away you go from the center of town, the less you will hear or find people speaking English.
Final Thoughts on the Québec City Winter Carnival
With so many awesome Quebec winter carnival activities to take part in, we had an absolutely fantastic time! We would definitely recommend putting this family-friendly event on your Canadian travel bucket list!
Have you been to the Québec Winter Carnival? We love to hear about your experience!
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