After the false start on Friday due to the cold, Mayor Bruno Marchand symbolically hands over the keys to the city to Bonhomme on Saturday morning, opening the 69th edition of the Carnaval de Québec. The enthusiasm for this first “normal” edition in three years is great, even if the freezing temperatures on Saturday will further spoil the party. Here are five things you should know to enjoy this first weekend of celebrations.
• Also read: The cold snap forces the opening of the Quebec Carnaval to be postponed
• Also read: Carnival starts in a week!
Photo Stevens LeBlanc
Workers put the finishing touches on the Palais de Bonhomme in the upper town on Wednesday.
PERFECT CONDITIONS FOR CANOE RACING
The traditional canoe race officially returns to the Port of Quebec on Sunday, which could not take place in 2021 and 2022 due to health regulations. “With the temperatures announced on Sunday, it’s perfect that there is enough ice and the canoeists can operate,” stresses Charles-André Paris, operations manager of the carnival.
MEET AT THE “CAMPSITE” DE BONHOMME
New this year, Camping de Bonhomme Videotron features a virtual race in golf carts, a 30-foot iceberg and a ball pit under a giant igloo, among other things. At Place D’Youville, the 500-foot city slide should also appeal to thrill-seekers. In many areas of Quebec it will also be possible to discover the snow and ice sculptures of the Scotiabank Spree.
THE GRAND RETURN OF THE NIGHT PARADE
The noticeable lack of night moves for two years is now a thing of the past. On Saturday evening, the activity celebrates its big comeback in the lower town. Beginning at 5:30 p.m., more than 300 artists and nine different sequences will stroll down 3rd Avenue in Limoilou in an approximately 35-minute show intended to be “rhythmic” and “dancing.” An after-parade takes place until 11 p.m. with the participation of merchants and circus artists. A second parade will take place next Saturday on the Grande Allée.
MUSICAL PARTIES TO SEE
This 69th edition of the world’s greatest winter carnival could well be one of the most musical of all time.
With its heated stage and its new dome in the heart of the Palais de Bonhomme, no fewer than five great evenings will be offered, including two at the weekend: the Franco Videotron evening with Alfa Rococo and Ariane Moffatt, Saturday evening and the Electro Frette Videotron, Sunday, with the artists Domeno, Zagata, Mandiz, Vlouue and Borgeous. The latter, an American DJ, is particularly known for his song Tsunami, which received worldwide acclaim in 2013.
YOUNG FAMILIES INVITED TO STAY AT HOME ON SATURDAY
On this first official carnival day, the weather continues to cast a shadow over the event. Regional Public Health said in a statement that the perceived temperature could reach -33 on Saturday, so vulnerable groups, including elementary and preschool children, the elderly and those with chronic illnesses, “should avoid even taking part in Carnaval de Quebec to attend”. The health authorities insist that everyone involved should be careful.
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