Quebec Winter Carnival Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Quebec Winter Carnival
Bonhomme Carnaval in 2011
Genre	Winter festival
Begins	February 7, 2025
Ends	February 16, 2025
Frequency	Annually
Location(s)	Quebec City, Quebec
Country	Canada
Inaugurated	1955 (1955) (annual event)
Website	Carnaval de Québec

The Quebec Winter Carnival (also known as Carnaval de Québec) is a super fun winter festival. It happens every year in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. People often just call it Carnaval.

This festival has been celebrated every year since 1955. Before that, it happened sometimes, starting in 1894. In 1955, a special snowman named Bonhomme Carnaval became the festival's mascot. He's been the friendly face of the Carnaval ever since!

The Quebec Winter Carnival is a huge event. In 2006, about one million people visited. This made it the biggest winter festival in the world at that time. Now, the Harbin Festival in China is bigger. But the Quebec Winter Carnival is still the largest winter festival in the Western Hemisphere!

Fun Activities and Attractions
Exciting Races and Tournaments
Carnival Themes Over the Years
Queens and Duchesses
Visitor Numbers
Images for kids
See also

Fun Activities and Attractions

The Carnaval is packed with exciting things to do. Many events happen outdoors, even when it's really cold! This shows how much people in Quebec love to have fun.

Parades and Parties

The most famous parts of the festival are the night and daytime parades. Bonhomme Carnaval leads these parades. They travel through the upper part of Quebec City. The city looks amazing, decorated with bright lights and cool ice sculptures.

Lots of public and private parties, shows, and dances also take place. Some of these are held outside in the chilly weather.

Cool Events to See

A fancy masquerade ball is held at the beautiful Château Frontenac. Up to 400 people dress up in costumes!
The Carnaval starts and ends with big ceremonies. These happen at the Ice Palace with thousands of people, Bonhomme, and the mayor.
You can watch or join outdoor sports. These include snowboarding, ice canoe races, snowshoeing, hockey, and dog-sledding. Some are even part of world championship events!
There are free outdoor meals like brunch and breakfast for everyone.
Artists from Canada and around the world create amazing snow sculptures. These contests happen on the Plains of Abraham. This big park is also open for fun activities like snowshoeing and cross-country skiing during the Carnaval.
Part of the Plains of Abraham turns into a winter amusement park. It has family activities and shows off the snow sculptures. You might even see the traditional bikini snow bath event, where people brave the cold in swimsuits!
Outdoor dance parties are held at the Ice Palaces.

Things to Know About Carnaval

You can buy a special Bonhomme tag. This tag lets you get into most of the events. Some events are free, even without the tag.
Many main streets are decorated for the festival. Some restaurants and bars even set up outdoor winter patios.
Bonhomme is the official ambassador of the Carnaval. He's like the friendly king of the Ice Palace. He's a seven-foot-tall snowman, weighing about 400 pounds. He wears a red cap, black buttons, and a special woven sash called a ceinture fléchée. This sash is a nod to traditional French-Canadian and Métis clothing.
People often drink Caribou to stay warm. It's a hot alcoholic drink.
There's also a public auction. This event helps raise money for the Carnaval. Many items and services are donated for people to bid on.

Exciting Races and Tournaments

The Carnaval features some thrilling races and competitions.

A sleigh race takes place on the Plains of Abraham. Drivers and their horses race in single and double harness events.
An exciting ice canoe race happens on the St. Lawrence River. Teams paddle canoes across the icy water!
The Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament used to be part of the Carnaval. This famous hockey tournament for young players started in 1960. It was part of the festival until 1977.

Carnival Themes Over the Years

Each year, the Carnaval often has a special theme. Here are some examples:

1970s Themes

In 1972, the theme was "Un carnaval pour tout le monde" (A Carnival for Everyone).

1990s Themes

In 1990, the theme was "Au cœur du monde" (At the Heart of the World).
In 1991, the theme was "Pour apprivoiser l'hiver" (To Tame Winter).

2000s Themes

In 2005, the theme was "Le carnaval s'enflamme" (The Carnival Catches Fire).
In 2006, the theme was "Le carnaval surprend" (The Carnival Astonishes).
In 2007, the theme was "Le carnaval vous met au défi" (The Carnival Defies You).
In 2008, the theme was "Le carnaval donne le ton" (The Carnival Gives the Rhythm).
In 2009, the theme was "Le carnaval vous entraîne dans la mascarade" (The Carnival Teaches You Masquerade).

Queens and Duchesses

From 1955 to 1996, the Carnaval had "duchesses." These young women represented different parts of Quebec. After a break, they returned for the Carnivals from 2014 to 2018. However, it was announced in May 2018 that duchesses would no longer be part of the Carnaval.

Visitor Numbers

The Quebec Winter Carnival attracts many visitors each year.

In 1964, 260,000 people came to Quebec City for the Carnaval.
By 1994, over 500,000 visitors attended. More than 20% of these visitors came from outside Quebec, mostly from the United States or Europe.
In 2008, about 1.2 million tourists visited Quebec for the Carnaval. This was a special year because the city was celebrating its 400th anniversary!