This Barrie 360 article is brought to you by The City of Barrie
Grab your coat, hat, and gloves and make the most of winter with all the activities at The City of Barrie's Hello Winter 2022!
Taking place until March 20, Hello Winter is a six-week celebration of all the things that make Barrie the best place to be this winter!
“This year, Hello Winter's theme focuses on light, to brighten the cold season and inspire a sense of hope," says Steve Lee-Young, Manager of Recreation Programs. “By spreading the event out over February and March and re-creating classic Winterfest favourites, we are able to safely offer experiences that celebrate what winter has to offer in our city."
Here are some of the highlights you'll be able to check out:
- Hello Winter will feature several unique projection-based art installations submitted from all over Canada that will bring light to winter nights in downtown Barrie, starting February 25.
- The Enchanted Winter Trail is a beautiful trek through Sunnidale Park featuring stunning art installations inspire by Canada's natural environment, on display until February 13.
- History buff? Join Steve Travers, Barrie's Official Town Crier, for a 1-hour tour of the city with unique stories and tales about how our little town became a city.
- A special Family Day Adventure is planned with outdoor activities including kicksleds, horsedrawn sleigh, skating, broomball, crafts, and more. This one takes place at the Barrie Community Sports Complex.
- A special audio/visual interactive art installation called Chimes will take over Meridian Place that demonstrates how small actions can create large impact.
- Bask in the healing benefits of nature with Nature in Winter Forest Bathing. Learn the basics of forest bathing with Beth Foster and decompress while you connect with the forest of Sunnidale Park. Sessions are free, and both in-person and virtual options are available.
February 11 from 7:00 p.m to 8:30 p.m. (Virtual)
Many more times are available in March!
- Have you always wanted to try Snowshoeing? Well, now is the perfect time thanks to the free Snowshoeing experiences provided by Snow Valley. Join them at Sunnidale Park for a guided tour of local flora and fauna with all equipment provided free of charge.
February 12 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
February 15 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
February 17 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Many more times are available in February and March!
Registration for both these events is open now so be sure to email events@barrie.ca to reserve your spot. Please include the name and height of each person in your group, phone number, and date you're hoping to book.
Lots of local businesses and organizations are getting in on the fun too!
The Hot Cocoa Trail is back (woohoo!) so you can get unique and delicious chocolate-inspired drinks created by some of Downtown Barrie's coffee shops, cafes, restaurants, and bistros. Each purchase (or donation to the retailer's charity of choice) will also earn you one ballot entry to win a Downtown Barrie gift card of $50, $100, or $250!
If you loved exploring Downtown Barrie during Open Air Dunlop, good news because it will be returning on March 19 as part of Hello Winter! Warm up by the fire at Meridian Place, explore the Hot Cocoa Trail, support once-of-a-kind local business, and enjoy all the other Hello Winter Activities!
Movie buffs will also want to check out the Barrie Film Festival's special events. Along with all the other programming being offered by community partners including the MacLaren Art Centre and Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority.
Trust us when we say this just scratches the surface of everything there is to do at Hello Winter 2022. With a month and a half of activities planned, it will be hard not finding something to do!
For more information and to see the full list of all the amazing activities, head over to the City of Barrie's website and the Hello Winter 2022 hub.
Featured image: Tim Gouw via pexels.com
