Happening at Centennial Park
Activities & Features
Many activities take place at Centennial Park on Saturday, 10am–5pm and Sunday, 10am–4pm (unless noted otherwise).
- Snow Valley’s mini tube slide
- Speaking of Wildlife exhibit
- Inflatables and games
- Buskers & family entertainment
- Snow sculpture by artist Siggi Buhler (@siggibuhler)
- Toronto Kite Fliers showcase of kites of all sizes, shapes, and colours in a special winter aerial display (weather/wind permitting)
- Maple taffy samples provided by Lalonde’s Maple Syrup
- Fire pit warming zone
- Fireside marshmallow roasting over the warm glow of the hardwood fire
- Warming station provided by Napoleon Home Comfort
- Nature play & art activity area (Saturday, February 7, 10am–3pm): Explore ice and snow with your imagination leading the way. With an assortment of loose natural parts and colourful ice blocks, the possibilities for creative building are endless. Take part in snow painting with the MacLaren Art Centre and create colourful designs and low-relief sculptures in the snow (weather-dependent).
- Winter wildlife (Sunday, February 8, 10am–12:30pm): Explore how local wildlife survives the coldest months of the year. Discover winter animal adaptations through hands-on learning with real furs and skulls, investigate replica scat and animal tracks, and practice their observation skills with a tracking challenge run by Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority.
- Scouts winter cookout ($)
- Winter Food Vendor Village ($)
Live Entertainment
Fire shows, lumberjack shows & more! In addition to enjoying the live entertainment at scheduled times, attendees can marvel at artistic masterpieces carved from 300lb blocks of ice by professional sculptors right before your eyes on Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday! One of Winterfest's most popular features, the 2026 ice sculptures celebrate the theme of Tropical Beach! Sculptures will be lit to enjoy at night and remain throughout Centennial Park as long as the weather permits.
Stay tuned for the entertainment schedule!
Winter Food Vendor Village
Warm up and treat yourself at our Winter Food Vendor Village. Cozy up by the fire pit, relax in the seating area, and enjoy a delicious variety of comfort foods and sweet treats—perfect for fueling your Winterfest fun. Whether you’re craving something savoury or a little indulgent, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
- BeaverTails Simcoe Muskoka Mobile
- Chungchun Ricedog
- Domino's Pizza
- Miller’s Meats
- Miss Richie's Kitchen
- Mr. C’s Freeze Dried Treats
- Off the Rails Grill
- Smoke's Poutinerie
- Stevie’s Kettle Corn
- Sweetiez
Happening at Other Locations
There's so much happening on Winterfest weekend and not all takes place at Centennial Park!
- Get an early start to Winterfest with an amazing variety of produce, artistry, and baking at Barrie’s Farmers’ Market inside the City Hall Rotunda
- Go skating at Circle at the Centre Outdoor Rink (skate and helmet rentals available)
- Play shinny hockey at Will Dwyer Park Community Ice Rink
- Follow the Hot Cocoa Trail throughout downtown Barrie this February.
Check out other scheduled events at locations throughout the city in partnership with Barrie's Winterfest. Registration and/or payment may be required; view the individual event listings below for more details. Stay tuned for more!
| When & Where | Event |
|---|---|
| Saturday, 9:00am–12:00pm Collier Street United Church | Barrie Lions Club Winterfest Pancake Breakfast |
| Saturday, 10:00am–5:00pm Five Points Theatre | Winterfest Jurassic Experience Dino Dance & Beach Party |
| Sunday, 10:00am–4:00pm Five Points Theatre | Winterfest Jurassic Experience Dino Dance & Beach Party |
| Sunday, 12:30pm–1:00pm MacLaren Art Centre | Cozy Storytime by the Fireplace |
| Sunday, 1:00pm–2:00pm MacLaren Art Centre | Family Sunday: Falling Snowflakes | MacLaren Art Centre Workshop |
| Sunday, 2:30pm–3:30pm MacLaren Art Centre | Family Sunday: Falling Snowflakes | MacLaren Art Centre Workshop |
Getting Around
Winterfest Transit Shuttle
Barrie Transit will run a FREE Winterfest Transit Shuttle on Saturday, February 7 (10am–5pm) and Sunday, February 8, (10am–4pm). Park ‘n ride from Allandale Rec Centre stop #20 or hop on/off along the route, including stops at the Barrie Allandale Transit Terminal, Downtown Transit Hub, and along Lakeshore Drive. Stay tuned for full schedule to come on MyRideBarrie.ca/News.
Parking
There’s plenty of parking available within walking distance. Downtown parking is free on weekends. Waterfront parking areas and Hybrid Parking Lots (Spirit Catcher, Lakeshore Drive and North Marina) are free for vehicles registered with a digital waterfront parking permit. Visit barrie.ca/parking for more information about paid parking.
The City of Barrie proudly presents Barrie Winterfest each year, a community tradition and one of the top winter festivals in Ontario.
The 2026 event features favourite winter activities all day, including spectacular ice sculptures, lumberjack shows, family entertainment, drop-in activities, skating and much more! Complete the evening by visiting one of Downtown Barrie's many restaurants.
Barrie Winterfest kicks off Hello Winter each year. Hello Winter offers outdoor, arts, culture and community events throughout February.
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