Winter Pleasures

The Winter Pleasures category evaluates outdoor and indoors activities and events such as winter festivals, carnivals, ice sculptures, snow sculptures, ice skating, ice fishing derbies, winter sports competitions, family and youth activities and gourmet/game food events that promote outdoor and indoor activities that take place November 1st to March 31. Emphasis is placed on events that include a heritage / cultural component highlighting the cultural diversity of the community.

BaAM Productions Winter Pleasures Criteria Award Winners

2009-2010: City of Stratford, Ontario

The focus of Winter Pleasures in Stratford is to complement the very successful spring & summer season, and to make the city a year-round destination. There are no shortage of events from November 1 to March 31, as this time includes the Sparkling Stratford theme of celebrations: music, culture, cuisine and characters. Excellence is demonstrated through the quality, variety and sustainability of all events.   

2008-2009: City of Mississauga, Ontario

Mississauga is the sum of its mainly unique parts – it owes its character, ambience, and multicultural flavour to the combination of bustling commercial, historic, and residential areas, green parks, gardens, and open spaces. Among the winter pleasures available include 501 parks, 25 indoor and 3 artificial outdoor ice pads. There are a variety of indoor and outdoor activities from November to March, including a charity skate, a Maple Magic Festival, and the new Tree Chipping Festival, to name just a few.  

The City of Oshawa in cooperation with local organizations offer an impressive array of activities for the winter season. These events and activities provide entertainment, health and fitness opportunities, a variety of educational programs, music, theatre, and, in some cases, a combination of the above. These activities are well documented in the Calendar of Events for 2007-2008. It lists an astounding 277 activities from November to March. Among the diverse choices of winter pleasures there is something worthwhile for the capabilities and interests of all ages.

Some examples are: sports tournaments, various types of dancing, theatre presentations, programs offered at the libraries for both children and adults, Chili Supper, craft workshops, painting of fire hydrants by O’Neil Collegiate students, educational and recreational activities at Parkwood Estate, Purple Woods Maple Syrup Festival, and pot luck dinners.

2006-2007: City of Kenora, Ontario

The City of Kenora takes advantage of its climate, man-made and natural facilities and personnel to offer a host of Winter Pleasures. The variety of programs include hockey (competitive and recreational for men, women, boys, girls) curling, figure skating, skiing, broomball, ringette, bowling, ice fishing, skating (indoor, outdoor), martial arts, swimming… The Kenora Recreational Centre houses an ice rink, an excellent swimming pool, physiotherapy facilities, meeting rooms, fitness centre and an active seniors centre. Cultural events feature musical concerts (symphony and other), theatre productions, and St. Patrick’s Day Tea and Party to name a few. Plans are well underway for a massive celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Stanley Cup victory of the Kenora Thistles.