Making Horizons History: Winter Blog 2020

Winter Activities 2020

With the Winter season one can find it difficult to get outside with the cold and shorter days. In this blog I will be going through some activities you can do in southern Ontario & Quebec that will bring some holiday cheer & help you be active in a time of year that seems will never end.

Kitchener – Waterloo: St. Jacobs Sparkles

1 Hour from Toronto

The picturesque town of St. Jacobs is known for its farmers’ market that draw many crowds and opens their doors in mid-November that brings holiday cheer to the town. St. Jacobs Sparkles is an annual 4-day event that has shopkeepers inviting customers with promotions and a pleasant holiday ambiance. Get a tour of the town with a free horse-drawn shuttle that takes you around the quaint village.

Listen to the voices of Victoria Carollers that make their way through the town. At the St. James Lutheran Church @ 6PM there is the kick-off of the event & lighting of the tree at St. James Lutheran Church. Roast a marshmallow by a fire provided by the local fire department and pick up a hot chocolate or cider as you make your way to the many shops. This is a great event to welcome the season & start your holiday shopping.

Toronto Christmas Market

Following after European traditions, there are many Christmas markets in southern Ontario that offer many original cuisines and great shopping. The most well-known Christmas market is in downtown Toronto at the historic distillery district. A maze of shops lines the many streets where you can get an escape from the chilly weather. There are live musical performances and booths with many European foods. Above the crowds is a countdown to Christmas Day.

Pretzel Bun, Chicken “Schnitzel”, & Sauerkraut

Muskoka (Huntsville)

2 Hours from Toronto

From January – March, Arrowhead Provincial Park is a great destination with many cross-country ski trails, snowshoeing, hiking and the famous 1.3 km skating trail. Warm up by a fire while you tie your skates and have an adventure with the family. In the past few years, a brand-new visitor center has been built providing a great facility for groups and where you can get skate and ski rentals. This has been my 3^rd year visiting this park, I highly recommend it.

Note: Weekends and Family Day can be busy at the park

Long Distance: Skating Montreal & Ottawa

4-5 Hours from Toronto

If you are one for a road trip in the winter, Montreal offers a nice experience during this time of year especially in the old city. Feel free to check out my itinerary to Montreal in my previous blogs. With many decorations and lights in the old city the ambiance makes for a perfect winter getaway. Montreal provides many opportunities & festivals during the winter to connect people during this season. Festivals such as Montreal en Lumiere, which takes place in late February at the contemporary art museum brings life to the darker evenings. Other events include Igloofest & Ottawa’s famous Winterlude which take place in February. The La Grande Roue de Montreal, located in the old port is a ferris wheel that provides a great view of the city. In the evening this place transforms to a magical skating rink with the entire ferris wheel lit up. In Ottawa, the Rideau Canal attracts many visitors to the nations capital which boasts the worlds largest skating rink. The Sens Rink of Dreams is an alternative location for skating in Ottawa located at City Hall.