Quebec Winter Carnival (Carnaval de Québec) 2025

The Quebec Winter Festival is one of the best ways to use the benefits of long and freezing Canadian winters. This family-friendly event gathers thousands of visitors every year and gives Quebec the status of the world's capital of snow for ten days.

This carnival offers a variety of activities for all ages, from ice slides and ice tubes to dog sledding and sleigh rides. The bravest participants can grab their swimming suits and join Bonhomme, the festival's snowman, for a crazy snow bath.

Quebec Winter Carnival is also called Bonhomme Carnaval in honor of its official symbol. White as snow, with a red tuque, Bonhomme is an essence of "Québécois’ joie de vivre"(which roughly means "Quebecer's joy of life"). He first appeared in Quebec City back in 1954. Since then, every year during the opening of the carnival, there has been a tradition for the mayor of Quebec to give Bonhomme the symbolic key to the city.

Other interesting sites worth visiting are the ice palace and ice sculptures exhibition, usually located in front of the parliament building. When the night falls, visitors can participate in parades, which flood the streets of Upper Town and Charlesbourg with enormous decorations and puppets. For more information about sites, visit the event's official website below–it'll surely surprise you!

As for tickets, the event organizers have come up with an all-in-one ticket called Effigy, which costs $23 per person and serves as a pass for 100 activities at the carnival. So, buy your ticket and book your housing beforehand, and you'll be good to go!