Celebrate winter at Barrie's Winterfest
Horse-drawn wagon rides will once again clip-clop their way through downtown Barrie.
The city’s annual Winterfest brings back the historical village that was Barrie and presents the new downtown, complete with snow tube and helicopter rides.
A community tradition, Winterfest has been named one of the top winter festivals in Ontario.
The outdoor activities are held at Heritage Park and Meridian Place on Sat., Feb. 4 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sun., Feb. 5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Downtown activities include:
- Ice sculptures;
- Lumberjack shows (Saturday only);
- “Nature in Winter” program
- Shows by Speaking of Wildlife;
- Horse-drawn wagon rides;
- Snow Valley’s mini tube slide;
- Inflatables;
- Buskers and family entertainment, including Team T&J, FireGuy, and NorthFIRE Fire and Ice Circus Show;
- Fire pit warming zone;
- Helicopter rides (fee associated), and
- Vendors.
Other locations include:
- Polar Bear Dip at Centennial Beach (Sunday only);
- Skating, including a Showcase and Learn to Skate program hosted by Barrie Skating Club at the Circle at the Centre Ice Rink;
- Barrie Lions Club Winterfest Pancake Breakfast at Collier Street United Church (Saturday only);
- STEAM family programming at the Downtown Branch of the Barrie Public Library;
- Barrie Farmers’ Market snowflake hunt (Saturday only), and
- February Blues Festival performances at various locations, including the Barrie Public Library and City Hall Rotunda.
Outdoor activities are weather dependent. For full details on the events, activities, and programs visit Winterfest online.
Winterfest Park ‘N Ride Shuttle
A free shuttle will operate Saturday from 9:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 9:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. The shuttle will pick up and drop off at Barrie Transit stop #203, located on Coulter Street behind the Bayfield Mall. Riders can park at the Bayfield Mall, accessed off Highway 400 and Bayfield Street. The shuttle will bring riders downtown to Platform 13 of the Barrie Transit Terminal, located at 24 Maple Avenue. From the terminal, it’s a short walk to Heritage Park and Meridian Place. MyRideBarrie.ca/News
Parking
Downtown and waterfront parking is available within close walking distance to Heritage Park and downtown Barrie, including in the Collier Street Parkade, located between Owen Street and Clapperton Street. Downtown parking rates are not enforced on weekends. Waterfront parking areas and Hybrid Parking Lots (Spirit Catcher, Lakeshore Drive and North Marina) are enforced 24/7/365. When planning your trip, review municipal parking guidelines to see the rates and available parking options.
Road closure
Simcoe Street will be closed from Maple Avenue to Dunlop Street from 6 a.m. on Feb. 4 to 6 p.m. on Feb. 5.
Winterfest kicks off Hello Winter; a month-long celebration of winter in Barrie, with events, activities and programs happening around the city throughout February, including a Family Day Winter Adventure at the Barrie Community Sports Complex.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'You're already past due': U.S. House intelligence committee chair implores Canada to increase defence spending
The chair of the United States House intelligence committee says Canada needs to accelerate its defence spending targets, especially with its military in 'desperate' need of investment.
7 suspects, including 13-year-old, charged following 'violent' home invasion north of Toronto
Seven teenage suspects, including a 13-year-old, have been arrested following a targeted and “violent” home invasion in Vaughan on Friday, police say.
Scurvy resurgence highlights issues of food insecurity in Canada's rural and remote areas
A disease often thought to only affect 18th century sailors is reemerging in Canada.
Trudeau calls violence in Montreal 'appalling' as NATO protest continues
Anti-NATO protesters gathered again in Montreal on Saturday to demand Canada withdraw from the alliance, a day after a demonstration organized by different groups resulted in arrests, burned cars and shattered windows.
These vascular risks are strongly associated with severe stroke, researchers say
Many risk factors can lead to a stroke, but the magnitude of risk from some of these conditions or behaviours may have a stronger association with severe stroke compared with mild stroke, according to a new study.
Widow of Chinese businessman who was executed for murder can sell her Vancouver house, court rules
A murder in China and a civil lawsuit in B.C. have been preventing the sale of multiple Vancouver homes, but one of them could soon hit the market after a court ruling.
Ants marching into spotlight as hobby of ant-keeping rise in popularity
They are tiny insects that are often overlooked or stepped on, but ants are marching not only into people’s backyards, but also their homes, as the popularity of ant-keeping rises in Canada.
Cher 'shocked' to discover her legal name when she applied to change it
Cher recalls a curious interlude from her rich and many-chaptered history in her new book 'Cher: The Memoir, Part One.'
Black bear killed in self-defence after attack on dog-walker in Maple Ridge, B.C.
A black bear has died following a brawl with a man on a trail in Maple Ridge, B.C.