With the year coming to an end and the winter months drawing near, it is time to rest and look back on the past year. It is a time of introspection. To be thankful for triumphs and to learn from mistakes. It is also a time for the holidays and experiencing new things. Canada is a country that takes holidays very seriously. It is blessed with incredible natural beauty and majestic sights. This beauty is further enhanced during the wintertime.

Canada is also a cultural melting pot, and each province has their own unique events to celebrate the winter holidays. Here are just a few fun winter holiday events that you can enjoy!

Winterlude (Ottawa, Ontario)

The Ottawa based Winterlude event is by far one of the most popular and largest winter events in Canada. The festival totally captures the beauty of wintertime. Many ice-skating events and activities are available to visitors.

The Rideau Canal Skateway is one of the main highlights of the event. The rink measures around 7.8 kilometers and is regarded as the largest skating rink in the world. The event also has the Snowflake Kingdom. It is a man-made snow park that houses a multitude of ice sculptures and slides that are a sight to behold.

The event also offers Crystal Garden. The site is located in Confederation Park, and offers a plethora of ice lounges, musical concerts, and the annual ice sculpture competition. The Winterlude Triathlon is also included in the festival and usually consists of a 6km skate across the Rideau Canal, a 5 km run, and another 6 km ski at Mooney's Bay Park.

Aside from the winter activities, Christmas market events also take place in the Byward Market and Sparks Street. Visitors can take part in horse-drawn wagon rides, taffy pulling, ,maple sugar making presentations, and wood carving presentations. 

Winter Festival of Lights (Niagara, Ontario)

The Winter Festival of Lights takes place annually in Niagara Falls and is known as the largest outdoor light carnival in the country. Throughout this months-long event, the entirety of Niagara is decorated with winter themed lights.

Aside from the lights, the event also has Christmas themed markets, floral houses and hot chocolate trails. There are also concerts and fireworks shows throughout the month-long event to combine both light and music, creating an unforgettable atmosphere.The event takes place annually, and the schedules are not set in stone. It is a good idea to check the schedule, if you want to take part in the event.

Lake Superior Ice Caves, (Sault Ste.Marie, Ontario)

While there are no set events for the Lake Superior Ice Caves, just visiting them will always count as an event. The ice caves are the result of waves crashing against the cliffs of Lake Superior, and during the winter months, these waves become frozen solid. Due to these very unique circumstances, the Ice Caves are formed. The sight has a timeless quality to it and is always worth seeing. If you are planning on going to Lake Superior to see these ice caves, please remember that the waves will only freeze at the most ideal temperatures, and local laws will usually not allow visitors to Lake Superior sites if these temperatures are not reached.

Apart from choosing the right time to visit Lake Superior, it is also important that you have the right gear. Remember that you will be hiking to Lake Superior in very cold conditions, please bundle up multiple layers of clothes and have a good winter coat on hand. You will also need good quality winter boots that are waterproof and have good traction.

Canada has set in place strict regulations for visiting Lake Superior. The site has a somewhat fragile ecosystem and pollution, and too many people visiting the site could ultimately damage this ecosystem. Before you visit the ice caves, please check out these regulations. 

World Ski and Snowboard Festival (Whistler,BC)

The World Ski and Snowboard Festival or the WSSF is amongst the largest and most popular skiing and snowboarding festivals in the world. The event was first founded in 1996 and has been an annual event ever since. The best winter sports athletes often go to this event to test their skills in competitions and experience the incredible slopes that Whistler can offer. The event usually takes place from early to late April, so there is a cross-between winter and spring season.

While skiing and snowboarding are the main focal points of the event, there are also other elements that make the event truly unique. This includes concerts that include established and new musicians and an established nightlife. Photography and Filmmaking events are also included in the festival, which is very important as there will be many photo-worthy feats during the ski and snowboard competition.

Mummers Festival (St. John's, Labrador and Newfoundland)

If you are looking for a folk event for the wintertime, then the Labrador and Newfoundland based Mummers Festival is the event for you.The festival is totally unique to the provinces of Labrador and Newfoundland and captures their unique culture. The festival is based on Newfoundland's Mummer tradition, which takes place during Christmas time.

During the festival, individuals will dress in disguise and visit homes. Throughout the festival, they will perform informal and whimsical feats.These include dressing up in colorful and mismatched clothes and shoes. The more bizarre the outfit the better. The festival has many events such as Family Printmaking, Hobby Horse Workshop and the Ugly stick workshop. The main highlight of the festival though is the Mummers Parade, wherein thousands of participants go on a parade all dressed in Mummers outfits.

Visit the world's largest Snow Maze (St. Adolphe, Manitoba)

The corn maze in Adolphe, Manitoba is already quite a sight during summertime. It is a huge corn maze that stretches as far as the eye can see. However, it is during wintertime that the corn maze becomes extraordinary. As heavy snow starts to fall, the corn maze is transformed into a snow maze. It is so large that the Guiness Book of Records has officially recorded it as the Largest Snow Maze in the world. Aside from seeing this incredible sight, the event also offers a wide variety of winter games and hot chocolate by a warm fire.

Visit Lake Louise (Banff, Alberta)

When it comes to Canada's most iconic sights, Lake Louise is on top of the list. It is one of the images that is often shown on postcards, and it is also the site that most people visit. There is just something special about the lake. During the summer, the site is majestic. The lake has a sapphire-like quality, and flanked by the woods and the mountains, it fits the outdoor ideal that most people would attribute to Canada.

Lake Louise during winter though is different. Where the lake is vibrant during summer, it is ethereal in the wintertime. The lake has a mirror-like quality, and the shoreline and mountains are covered in heavy snow. There is a tranquil aspect to the sight that makes ittruly unforgettable. The Lake Louise area is still open during the wintertime, however, the paths going to the lake may be covered in heavy snow and ice. It is a good idea to have the right gear for the trek to the lake.

Wintertime festivals and activities are almost synonymous with Canada, and honestly it is a wonderful country to live in. It is also a country that offers great opportunities for doctors. If you are planning on working as a doctor in Canada, you can contact Physicians for You. We are an established physician recruitment company, and we have the knowledge and experience to help you throughout the whole process.