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The Best Things to Do in Canada

Festivals and Events

Laugh Out Loud: Why The Great Outdoors Comedy Festival Is Canada’s Funniest Summer Tradition

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Why The Great Outdoors Comedy Festival Is Canada’s Funniest Summer Tradition
This is just one example of why The Great Outdoor Comedy Festival is one of Canada’s top things to do.

If there’s one thing Canadians know how to do, it’s make the most of summer. From patios to paddleboards, we squeeze every sunbeam out of the season—and now, we’re doing it with a side of gut-busting laughter. Enter: The Great Outdoors Comedy Festival (GOCF), Canada’s most hilarious outdoor celebration that’s sweeping the country one punchline at a time.

Whether you’re a stand-up superfan or just in it for the vibes and snacks, GOCF delivers the ultimate fusion of comedy, community, and fresh air. Here’s everything you need to know about this open-air laugh fest and why it might just be the best thing you do all summer.

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The BEST Things to Do in Halifax, Nova Scotia

By Matthew G. Bailey 13 Comments

There are lots of great things to do in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Perched on the edge of the Atlantic with salty sea breezes and a whole lot of character, Halifax is the kind of city that blends history, culture, and coastal charm in all the right ways. Whether you’re strolling along the vibrant waterfront boardwalk, diving into the city’s rich maritime past, or digging into fresh lobster rolls (or a mouth-watering donair) with a view, Halifax has something for every type of explorer. From lively festivals and iconic landmarks to hidden gems and scenic day trips, here’s your guide to the very best things to do in Nova Scotia’s capital!

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Romantic Things to Do for Valentine’s Day in Canada

By Matthew G. Bailey 3 Comments

Skating in Banff

Updated: January 25th, 2021

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, many of you are likely trying to think of romantic things to do or see. February 14 in Canada is right in the middle of winter, which typically means cold weather and lots of snow. But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do. In fact, sparkling snow can be just what it takes to create that magically romantic winter wonderland.

You may want to sleep under the Yukon Northern Lights or admire them from the Northwest Territories. You may want to take a helicopter ride over Niagara Falls or go winter wine tasting in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Maybe you want to check out live theatre in the big city of Toronto or go for a graffiti tour in trendy Montreal.

Whatever it is, there are tons of places to go for Valentine’s day and things to do. Leave the family members behind, grab your partner and choose a Valentine’s activity from this list.

Best Things to Do on Valentine’s Day, Canada

So whether you choose to ditch the roses and chocolate altogether or bring them with you on an unforgettable adventure, here are 14 ideas for things to do on Valentine’s Day in Canada. [Read more…] about Romantic Things to Do for Valentine’s Day in Canada

Playing Hockey at the World Pond Hockey Championship 2020

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World Pond Hockey Championship New Brunswick Drone

Last updated: April 7th, 2020

When it comes to massive world-renown pond hockey tournaments, you probably wouldn’t think of New Brunswick, little lone the small town of Plaster Rock. Yet, it’s here, in this super small town of just 1,500 people, that the world’s largest pond hockey tournament takes place each and every year. Attracting teams from all over the world, as many as 120 will compete on the small and frozen Roulston Lake, surrounded by a frosty forest.

I’m not sure how I heard about this tournament but somewhere a few years ago, I read about the World Pond Hockey Championships and have wanted to attend ever since. It’s not easy though. After all, Canada is a big country and New Brunswick is 4,222 kilometres (2,623 miles) away from my home city of Calgary, Alberta. It requires an expensive flight, a rental car, a hotel stay, and a team of five.

But in 2020, the 19th year of the World Pond Hockey Championships, I made it happen. I rallied together a team from Calgary, all of whom I didn’t even know, and flew over to New Brunswick, the only province in Canada that’s officially bi-lingual. [Read more…] about Playing Hockey at the World Pond Hockey Championship 2020

Winter in Quebec City with the Quebec Winter Carnival

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quebec winter carnival

Last updated: March 17th, 2020

When it comes to winter festivals, there’s none better than Quebec’s winter carnival, which is one of the largest winter festivals in the world. Held annually during the month of February, the Québec Winter Carnival, or Carnaval de Québec as it’s known in French, is an annual festival that brings thousands of visitors together to celebrate the winter in Quebec. Created way back 1894, the festivities were inspired by the harsh winters as a way to create a fun celebration to warm the hearts of its citizens. The modern version of the festival started in 1955 and is now one of the biggest events of the year for French Canada. From ice sculptures to ice slides to an absolutely massive parade, it’s a great experience for kids and adults alike. [Read more…] about Winter in Quebec City with the Quebec Winter Carnival

Banff Events – The Gathering of Cult Brands

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The Gathering Skittles
Jane Hwang , Vice President, Fruity & Skittles® Brand Director, Skittles®

I can honestly say that I never imagined myself attending a business summit that celebrates advertising. I mean, technically, it’s a celebration of cult brands, but with that comes great advertising and the stars are the chief marketing officers and the creative teams that develop that ads and creative that ultimately give the brand their cult-like status. From Skittles to Spotify to the LA Lakers and much more, all are celebrated for creating a remarkable product and a brand you simply cannot forget.

And it all happens in the Banff Castle. [Read more…] about Banff Events – The Gathering of Cult Brands

8 Ways to Enjoy Ottawa in the Winter

By Matthew G. Bailey 2 Comments

Ottawa in the winter.
Parliament Hill in the winter.

Ottawa in the Winter last updated: December 25th, 2022

With snow covering the ground and temperatures reaching far below zero, Canada may not seem like a desirable place in the winter. But that’s truly not the case. Not only is there fewer crowds and cheaper prices, but winter is also an incredibly beautiful time to visit and Ottawa is one of the best places to do so.

Canada’s capital is a great place to visit in the winter. Not only is it a great place to experience winter activities such as skating, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing, but it’s also very beautiful to see the frozen Rideau Canal, the snow-covered Ottawa River, and the stunning gothic-style parliament buildings surrounded by a white blanket.

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Banff Festivals in the Winter

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Banff Winter Festivals

Last updated: February 11th, 2020

If you’ve been following us for a while, you know how much we love Banff. Part of it is because we live so close but part of it is just because it’s so darn beautiful. Throw in some of the world’s best skiing, hiking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing, and it’s easy to see why we spend so much time there.

For those of you thinking of visiting Banff National Park, you might be wondering when is the best to visit. That’s a tough one to answer as it depends on a variety of factors but if you’ve already decided that winter is the best time to visit Banff, then you may also want to consider timing your visit with one of the many festivals that happen throughout the colder months.

There are quite a few festivals and events that happen, especially in late fall and early winter, including the Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival, the Lake Louise Ski World Cup, the Banff Craft Beer Festival, the Banff Christmas Market, Mountaintop Christmas at the Banff Gondola, and the Santa Claus Parade. As we get later into winter, however, there’s another incredible festival that comes to Banff, bringing artists from around the world and all sorts of winter fun. It’s called Snow Days. [Read more…] about Banff Festivals in the Winter

9 Ways to Enjoy Christmas in Calgary

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Winter in Lake Louise

Christmas in Calgary last updated: December 1st, 2022

Canada is a country that is known for its winter. From cold weather to deep snow, Canada is one of the greatest places on Earth to experience a true winter. Because of this, it’s also a great place to experience Christmas, especially if you’re looking for a white Christmas. We’ve written articles about Christmas in Canada, as well as destinations to experience Christmas in Canada, but now we’d like to focus on Christmas in Calgary, which is our home city.

Nestled in the foothills just next to the wonderful Canadian Rockies, Calgary is an incredible place to spend the Christmas Holidays. Whether you’re looking for holiday cheer in the city or an epic ski vacation to Banff National Park, Christmas in Calgary is a wonderful place to spend your Christmas holidays.

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Christmas in Canada

By Matthew G. Bailey 2 Comments

best things to do in whistler
Whistler village at dusk – Photo provided by Tourism Whistler and taken by photographer Mike Crane.

Last updated: February 2nd, 2020

Despite Christmas taking place in many warm countries around the world, it’s often marketed everywhere as a white Christmas, full of snow, Christmas lights, and various decorations. Growing up in Canada, this is how Christmas actually is. However, I found it interesting that my family-in-law living in Mexico had never seen or experienced a white Christmas and yet, all the movies and commercials they watched advertised it this way. Then, when they spent winter in Canada one year, they finally got to see a white Christmas, with lots of snow, lights, and winter activities. They even cried when a snowflake landed in their hands.

Canada is a special place to experience Christmas. In fact, we wrote about the many places you can experience Christmas in Canada, but now we’d like to talk about what Christmas is like for most Canadians. [Read more…] about Christmas in Canada

The BEST Things To Do in Regina, Saskatchewan

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things to do in regina saskatchewan canada

Things to Do in Regina last updated: November 12th, 2020

Named after Queen Victoria in 1882, Regina, which is Latin for “Queen”, is now Saskatchewan’s capital city. Although it’s not the biggest city (that would be Saskatoon), it’s the cultural and commercial centre for Southern Saskatchewan and is located right on the Trans-Canada Highway, making it the perfect stop on a Canada road trip.

Whether you’re passing through on a road trip or flying direct, we highly recommend spending some time in Queen City. Regina often gets overlooked on many traveller’s itineraries but is home to wonderful museums, historic districts, strong indigenous culture, a vibrant food scene, and of course, the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

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Experiencing Newfoundland’s Iceberg Festival

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icebergs newfoundland iceberg alley

Last updated: March 20th, 2020

Smack dab at the top of Newfoundland’s Northern Peninsula, St. Anthony’s is a great place to experience Newfoundland culture during the Iceberg Festival. Beginning around early to mid-June, the Iceberg Festival was built to celebrate the arrival of the icebergs and offers a unique chance to experience Newfoundland culture that few tourists would see otherwise. Since we had only four days to explore the festival, we reached out to the Viking Trail Tourism who agreed to help us out with an itinerary and to help sponsor our visit.

We began our drive up the coast on June 12th, as the rain poured down. Spring is an unpredictable season in Newfoundland, and the chances of getting rainy, cloudy, and foggy days are higher than in the summer. It’s all part of the experience though if you’re hoping to see icebergs. After all, these are gigantic ice cubes. [Read more…] about Experiencing Newfoundland’s Iceberg Festival

Ice Magic Festival at Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada

By Matthew G. Bailey 1 Comment

Ice Magic Festival Lake Louise
First place winner for 2019 – Ice Queen Treasures

Skiing at Lake Louise is always an amazing experience but when the Ice Magic Festival is in town, the experience becomes, well, magical.

Ice carvers from all around the world gather outside the beautiful Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise from Wednesday to Friday to create a stunning piece of ice art in approximately 34 hours (three days). When I say they come from around the world, I really mean it. I’ve seen ice carvers from Iraq, Mexico, Malaysia, Latvia, Russia, Canada, and the USA, just to name a few. They come all the way to Lake Louise, Alberta to show off their skills at turning blocks of ice into stunning masterpieces.

It’s a popular time to visit Lake Louise. Not only do you get the beauty of Lake Louise and the Rocky Mountains, but you get the additional beauty of the ice sculptures. The actual event where the carvers make their art takes place for only three days, but the festival continues for almost two weeks. If you can’t make it during the event though, they do leave the ice sculptures up until they are deemed unsafe. [Read more…] about Ice Magic Festival at Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada

Around the World with Winnipeg’s Folklorama

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Spain Traditional Dancing

For two weeks each summer, scattered around the city of Winnipeg, lies a unique chance to travel around the world without actually getting on a plane. Sure, you won’t see the beautiful beaches of the Philippines or the colonial architecture of Spain but you will get a taste of the culture thanks to Folklorama.

Known as the largest and longest-running multicultural festival in the world, Folklorama allows visitors to experience the cultural dances, food, and people that make the city so diverse. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to experience many of the pavilions (shows) during my time in Winnipeg. [Read more…] about Around the World with Winnipeg’s Folklorama

Finding True Music at the Winnipeg Folk Fest

By Matthew G. Bailey 4 Comments

It was my first folk fest and I wasn’t sure what to expect. Actually, I had never camped at a music festival before. I have been to Burning Man, which is absolutely amazing, and I’ve been to one-day music festivals as well but this would be my first time at a true music festival.

Winnipeg Folk Festival Tickets

I had heard something about the Winnipeg Folk Fest being one of the best folk festivals on the continent and that was enough to peek my interest. It’s a festival. It’s camping. It’s music. Count me in.

Tucked into beautiful Birds Hill Provincial Park, the festival makes its mark among wide open fields and trees. We opted to camp in the festival camping area so that we could be closer to the event and closer to the party. After arriving, we trekked over a kilometre with all our stuff (the only part of the event I wasn’t a big fan of) and found a great little spot in the middle of a patch of trees where we could pitch our tent. We were lucky because many campers arrived a day before us. Maybe they wanted to be out in the open field under the scorching sun? I wanted shade and I was already dreaming of an inflated air mattress and throwing myself onto it for a quick break.

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