Friday, January 24, 2014

Celebrate the Snow at Muskoka’s Winter Carnivals

Huntsville's Main Street becomes a winter wonderland!
This has been a winter like no other, or at least it feels that way. Lots of snow and lots of cold interspersed with some “warm” spells (which don’t last long – Mother Nature isn’t shy about letting us know who’s in charge). And so what else can we do but celebrate winter while it lasts? Fortunately, we have some help with that – it’s Winter Carnival time again!

The fun kicks off this weekend in Port Sydney, continues with the new Winter Comedy Carnival in Huntsville, and wraps up at the end of February with Gravenhurst’s Winter Carnival.

January 22-26, 57th Annual Port Sydney Winter Carnival: Enjoy tons of great food, including the popular Grand Marche, a showcase of Muskoka restaurants. There are kids’ activities on the beach at Mary Lake, both outside and in the giant igloo. Plus there’s music, entertainment, face painting and more!

January 31-February 2, Huntsville Winter Comedy Carnival: New this year! Inside, two of comedies finest – Brent Butt and James Belushi – perform on Friday and Saturday nights. Outside, Huntsville’s main street is transformed into a winter wonderland with a Nordic course, ski and snowboard demos and live music. This is one carnival not to be missed!

February 7-9, 47th Annual Port Carling Winterfest: The weekend is chock full of entertainment including dancing, skating, wagon rides, kids’ activities, competitions and even a Polar Bear Dip.

February 14-15, 24th Annual Dorset Snowball Winter Carnival: With tons of outdoor activities that take over the entire community, including snow sculpting, food, and demonstrations, this carnival is worth the drive to Dorset.

February 21-22, 44th Annual Dwight Winter Carnival: Just up the highway from Colonial Bay, the Dwight Winter Carnival is a small but mighty local favorite. They’re still planning events for this year, but in the past we’ve been treated to a dance, demonstrations, dog sledding, mini-snowmobiles, balloon rides and one of the best pie competitions around (and you can even buy one to take home).

February 21-23, Gravenhurst Winter Carnival: With past events like a demolition derby, polar bear dip, glow in the dark skating, and bed races, we’re excited to see what the Gravenhurst Winter Carnival has cooked up this year. You can bet they’ll be some of the most interesting and entertaining winter carnival events around. Go to their website for a full list of activities and events.

And don't forget that Muskoka plays host to the Ontario Winter Games this year from February 27-March 2!

It’s been a fantastic year for all outdoor winter activities - cross-country skiing and snowshoeing through Muskoka’s forests and across its lakes (be sure to check ice conditions first!), snowmobiling, skating and alpine skiing. The winter conditions are likely to last well into March break this year. As always, we look forward to having you visit us at Colonial Bay, no matter what time of year. You can view the availability of our waterfront cottages here.

Stay warm out there!

The Howell Family