The inaugural SnowFest arrives in Downtown Huntsville this February 21 and 22!
Huntsville knows snow. Surrounded by some of the best opportunities for winter activities, this year Huntsville takes the snow Downtown for SnowFest! Love skiing, snowshoeing, fat biking, and skating? Head to Historic Downtown Huntsville February 21 and 22 for a free, family-friendly festival celebrating winter. What better way to beat the winter blues than to embrace all of your favourite winter activities on a snow-covered Main Street surrounded by Huntsville’s finest food and shopping.
The activities kick off Friday afternoon as our Huntsville High School Nordic Ski team competes in the provincial championship races held on the challenging Main Street circuit. Come out and show the rest of the province your Huntsville spirit by cheering on our local athletes. Then from 6:00 – 10:00 pm, grab your favourite winter gear and enjoy the snow for yourself. Main Street will be a backlit winter wonderland where you can play all night long or break up the fun with unique shopping and dining opportunities throughout the night.
Did someone say pub crawl? Yes, but not like you’ve experienced before! Six local establishments will be offering winter themed food and drinks for your SnowFest enjoyment. There’s no crawling here though…snowshoe, ski, walk or take a horse-drawn sleigh to traverse Main Street while you sample unique fare to the tune of some of Huntsville’s best live music. Marigold Unique Flavours, The Mill on Main, Huntsville Brewhouse, That Little Place by the Lights, Moose Delaneys, and Canvas Brewing Co will all be celebrating SnowFest, offering themed experiences along the route. Be sure to pick up your Pub Crawl Passport at your first stop. Collect all six stamps by ordering a food item or drink at each of the participating bars/restaurants and then hand your completed passport in at the event Info Desk either Friday night before 10:00 pm or before 3:00 pm on Saturday. You will be entered into the draw with a chance to win a $50 gift card from one of the pub crawl establishments.
SnowFest runs all day Saturday until 10:00 pm, with winter activities planned from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm. Bring your own equipment to enjoy the unique Main Street winter experience by nordic skiing, snowshoeing or fat biking. You can also bring your snowboard or alpine skis and try out the rail course set up while the kids are at the Riglet Park courtesy of Hidden Valley Highlands Ski Area. Algonquin Outfitters will be providing a limited number of snowshoes and fat bikes for you to try, so be sure to head there early.
With the snow covering Main Street all the way from Centre Street to Brunel Rd., we’ve packed Downtown with activities for everyone. There will be skijoring demos courtesy The SportLab from 12:00 – 12:45 pm, a disc golf course set up in River Mill Park, dog sledding demos from 9:00 am -12:00 pm and of course skating on the River Mill Park rink. Put your skills to the test with a variety of carnival games including mini putt, a fishing pond, curling and inflated body zorbs to enjoy. Fancy something a little different? Try Huntsville’s famous Axe Throwing from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm or breathe in the great outdoors with Snoga (Snow Yoga) courtesy of Ahimsa from 3:30 – 4:30 pm.
Need a break from all the outdoor fun? Eat at one of Main Street’s many restaurants or head to The Algonquin Theatre’s Partners’ Hall to enjoy a special line up of SnowFest activities. With a wildlife theme, Speaking of Wildlife will have interactive table displays set up from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm in addition to two very special 30 minute live wildlife shows taking place at 9:30 and 12:30 pm. There will also be a mix of arts and crafts for all ages to participate in courtesy of the students of Tawingo College.
At 4:00 pm make way for the fat tires! For fat bike enthusiasts, Main Street will transform into an 850 metre criterium style snow course for the Muskoka Fat Bike Race presented by the Huntsville Mountain Bike Association. With timed races in kid, beginner and competitive classes, the course promises to be fast and flowing with lots of opportunity for passing and exciting finishes. There are both medals and cash prizes up for grabs for the winners so click here to register.
Cap off SnowFest with a concert by Juno award winning Canadian band Blackie and the Rodeo Kings. Celebrating their 25th anniversary, the band will bring their signature roots-oriented show to the Algonquin Theatre stage. Be sure to visit the Algonquin Theatre ticket page early to reserve your spot for this one-of-a-kind show.
For two magical days in February, Huntsville’s Historic Main Street will be covered in snow and transformed into a magical winter paradise. Bring your sense of adventure and your love of the winter season and enjoy a full slate of snow-filled activities, food and shopping. Mark February 21-22 on your calendar and plan on bringing the whole family for a winter experience like no other.
For more information visit https://huntsvilleadventures.com/huntsville-snowfest/.