WEEKEND THREE TAKES FLIGHT AT WINTERLUDE

The National Capital Commission (NCC) is pleased to invite residents and visitors to take part in the third and final weekend of the 31st edition of Winterlude, Canada’s winter celebration, which takes place in Canada’s Capital Region until February 22, 2009.

The 100th anniversary of the first powered flight in Canada will be highlighted in the final weekend of Winterlude activities.

On Saturday, February 21, from 1 pm to 2 pm, visitors will enjoy the sights and sounds of more than 20 vintage aircraft, as they fly the length of the Rideau Canal Skateway and over other Winterlude sites. The event is organized in collaboration with FlightWorks Inc. and the Canada Aviation Museum. On-site live commentary will be provided at Sun Life Snowflake Kingdom during the event. (Rain date: Sunday, February 22, 1 pm to 2 pm.)
Two costumed characters, dressed as a vintage plane, will “fly” through Sun Life Snowflake Kingdom, while performing a juggling show for the public, on Saturday and Sunday at 11:30 am, 1:30 pm and 3:30 pm.
The Canada Aviation Museum kicks off a full year of Centennial of Flight celebrations on Sunday, February 22, with Silver Dart Day, which features a variety of workshops such as make-and-take crafts for different ages, as well as demonstrations and guided tours.

Here is an overview of some of the other activities that will take place during the final weekend of Winterlude.

American Express® Snowbowl (Rideau Canal Skateway near Rideau Street)

On Friday, February 20 at 7 pm, revellers will be entertained with Quebec singer-songwriter Ariane Moffatt, who will perform a mixture of electro-folk, jazz, pop and roots music.

Known for her soulful voice and signature live shows, Toronto R&B superstar Jully Black takes the stage on Saturday at 7 pm.

On Sunday, from 1 pm to 2:30 pm, local b-boy Crazy Smooth and Bboyizm will dance alongside Montréal’s finest. The stage heats up as this show ends with a b-boy/b-girl breakdance showcase and exhibition battle.

Last chance to see Ukiuk!

Visitors can enjoy this free 20-minute sound and light show at the American Express® Snowbowl on Friday and Saturday at 7 pm, 8:30 pm and 9:30 pm.

Rogers Crystal Garden at Confederation Park

Children of all ages will have a blast this weekend at Rogers Crystal Garden. Children can pose with ice animals inside the Winterlude Barn on Saturday and Sunday, from 10:30 am to 5 pm. Children and youth aged 7 and up can participate in the Arctic Ice Dig, where they will dig out their own Winterlude souvenir from a block of ice, using a hammer and chisel.

Visitors to Rogers Crystal Lounge can meet specialists from the Canadian Space Agency on Saturday and Sunday, from 12 pm to 2 pm. Ice-carved replicas of the International Space Station and Soyuz, a Soviet spacecraft used for transport to and from the International Space Station, will also be on site.

The Public Ice-Carving Challenge takes place on Saturday, from 11:30 am
to 2:30 pm. Visitors can vote for their favourite sculpture during the judging and awards ceremony at 2:30 pm.

Confederation Park will be a popular evening destination this weekend with an Aboriginal DJ Night, featuring DJ NDN and DJ Frame, who will play Aboriginal beats mixed with contemporary musical influences on Friday, from 8:30 pm to 10 pm. Renowned DJ Dan Desnoyers will melt Rogers Crystal Lounge on Saturday, from 4 pm to 10 pm, where visitors can groove all night to the sounds of techno, house and dance music.

Rideau Canal Skateway

On Saturday and Sunday, from 10 am to 4 pm, at Dows Lake, the Snow Sculpture in the Making activity will showcase professional sculptors transforming a huge block of snow into a sculpture representing Arctic species at risk.

On Saturday, from 9 am to 4 pm, also at Dows Lake, visitors are invited to join members of Scouts Canada in a variety of family games, such as soccer on the snow, minigolf, sled races and rock-paper-scissors.

Traditional First Nations dance performances will take place on Saturday, between 10 am and 4 pm. Traditional First Nations singers and drummers will also offer shows of authentic drumming and songs on Sunday, between 10 am and 4 pm. Both shows will take place at the Lansdowne Park Gateway

At the Fifth Avenue Gateway, the PlayStation® Interactive Zone, the WestJet Fun ’n Festival Zone and the American Express® Lounge will offer ongoing activities during the last weekend of Winterlude.

Sun Life Snowflake Kingdom at Jacques-Cartier Park

This is the final weekend for the public to admire massive snow sculptures based on the theme “Portrait of Canada,” and created during the National Snow Sculpture Competition, presented in collaboration with the Ville de Gatineau.

On Saturday and Sunday, from 11 am to 4 pm, visitors to the Acadian House will have the chance to listen to violinist Daniel Ladouceur, as well as singers and musicians Michel Henry and Michel Thériault. They will also be able to admire an exhibit comprised of 13 oil paintings on the theme of “Acadia’s past, a page from its history,” created by Acadian artist/painter Micheline Roy.

Artcirq, a Nunavut troupe of artists, will perform a circus-based show on Saturday and Sunday at 12:30 pm and 3 pm, at the Amphitheatre. This group was formed to introduce Inuit to modern circus arts, based on the roots of Inuit culture.

Coolman, a human statue so still it seems frozen, will appear throughout the park on Saturday and Sunday at 12 pm, 2 pm and 3 pm.

On Sunday at 3:30 pm, the public is invited to join the NCC Winterlude team at the Amphitheatre for the Ice Hogs’ Farewell, before our friendly mascots embark on their long journey back to Canada’s Far North.

Other activities in Canada’s Capital Region

La Cité collégiale’s Police Foundations Program, in collaboration with Winterlude, invites all families to participate in the Junior Winter Fun and Games. The opening ceremony will be held on February 20, and the games will take place on February 21 and 22 at the college campus of La Cité collégiale, at 801 Aviation Parkway in Ottawa. For further details, please visit www.lacitec.on.ca.

Members of the public can participate in the Winterman Marathon, a celebration of running in the Canadian winter for all ages. Participants can choose races from 2.5 km, 5 km, 10 km, half marathon, marathon and marathon relays. All races will start at 8:30 am. The start and finish lines are located at the Canadian War Museum. For further details, please visit www.wintermanmarathon.ca.

Organized by the Ottawa–Gatineau Gay Hockey Association, the National Capital Region Face-Off will be held at Carleton University’s Ice House, from Friday to Sunday. For further details, please visit www.gayottawa.com/hockey.

For a complete list of activities presented at the four official Winterlude sites and elsewhere in Canada’s Capital Region, members of the public can contact the NCC at 613-239-5000, 1-800-465-1867, 613-239-5090 (TTY) or 1-866-661-3530 (toll-free TTY), or visit the website at Winterlude.ca.

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