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 featured favourite winter activities all day, including spectacular ice sculptures, lumberjack shows, family entertainment, drop-in activities, skating and much more! Attendees could complete the evening by visiting one of Downtown Barrie's many restaurants.
Barrie Winterfest is the main event of Hello Winter each year. Hello Winter offers outdoor, arts, culture and community events throughout February.
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Happening at Centennial Park
Many activities took place at Centennial Park on Saturday, 10am–5pm and Sunday, 10am–4pm. In addition to the activities listed below, Winterfest featured live entertainment including fire shows, lumberjack shows and more!
- Snow Valley’s mini tube slide
- Exhibits featuring Speaking of Wildlife and The Eyrie Birds of Prey
- Inflatables and games
- Buskers & family entertainment
- Snow sculpture by artist Siggi Buhler (@siggibuhler)
- Toronto Kite Fliers showcased kites of all sizes, shapes, and colours in a special winter aerial display
- Maple taffy samples provided by Lalonde’s Maple Syrup
- Fire pit warming zone and games hosted by Scouts Canada
- Fireside marshmallow roasting over the warm glow of the hardwood fire
- Warming station provided by Napoleon Home Comfort
- Make Winter Bright art installation: Community members could help create a temporary art installation and spread a little winter cheer by drawing or writing on a wooden ornament. Finished ornaments displayed on stands for everyone to explore and enjoy.
- Helicopter rides ($90/person): Attendees could board a helicopter and get an overhead view of winter in Barrie! Weather permitting; bookings were accepted on site.
- Winter Food Vendor Village ($)
- Ice sculptures: One of Winterfest's most popular features! Attendees could marvel at artistic masterpieces carved from 300lb blocks of ice by professional sculptors right before your their on Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday! The 2026 ice sculpture theme is tropical beach. Sculptures are lit to enjoy at night and remain throughout Centennial Park as long as the weather permits.
Scheduled Activities & Live Entertainment
Scheduled activities and live entertainment took place throughout the weekend at Centennial Park.
City staff hosted a pop up information session on Saturday, February 7, 12–2pm to promote the Bayfield Street Community Design Plan online survey and answer questions about the project. Get full project details at BuildingBarrie.ca/BayfieldCDP.
Note: The City had to cancel 2026 NYE celebrations due to weather. At that time, it was communicated that the City would attempt to reschedule Kim Mitchell for Winterfest. Unfortunately, Kim Mitchell was unable to play Winterfest due to his busy tour schedule, but staff are working with his team to have him back to Barrie soon. The fireworks that were scheduled for NYE will be added to a City of Barrie event later this year. More details to come.
Winter Food Vendor Village
Winterfest attendees could cozy up by the fire pit, relax in the seating area, and enjoy a delicious variety of comfort foods and sweet treats.
- BeaverTails Simcoe Muskoka Mobile
- Domino's Pizza
- Miller’s Meats
- Miss Richie's Kitchen
- Mr. C’s Freeze Dried Treats
- Off the Rails Grill
- Scouts Canada sausage, hotdog, soup, chili & hot chocolate tent
- Smoke's Poutinerie
- Stevie’s Kettle Corn
- Sweetiez
Happening at Other Locations
So much happened on Winterfest weekend and not all took place at Centennial Park! Attendees could:
- 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
- Attend February Blues Festival performances at various locations
Other scheduled events at locations throughout the city in partnership with Barrie's Winterfest are listed below. Registration and/or payment may have been required; view the individual event listings below for more details.
| 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 |
| Saturday, 12:00pm–1:00pm Circle at the Centre Outdoor Rink (City Hall) | Mariposa School of Skating Showcase & Learn to Skate |
| Sunday, 10:00am–4:00pm Five Points Theatre | Winterfest Jurassic Experience Dino Dance & Beach Party |
| Sunday, 12:00pm–1:00pm Circle at the Centre Outdoor Rink (City Hall) | Mariposa School of Skating Showcase & Learn to Skate |
| 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 ran a FREE Winterfest Transit Shuttle on Saturday, February 7 (10am–5pm) and Sunday, February 8, (10am–4pm). You could park ‘n ride from Allandale Recreation 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. You could also track your shuttle in real time at MyRideBarrie.ca.
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.
