Families can experience the thrill of winter at PolarFest in Moncton’s Centennial Park during the Family Day weekend, Feb. 17–19, 2024.
Event Coordinator Ellen Jeffries said the first PolarFest was created to offer a winter event for Moncton’s growing population.
“Sometimes during the winter months, there’s not that many opportunities to get out of the house and get active and have fun activities to do especially free of charge,” said Jeffries.
“We really wanted to put together a community event that was free, fun and made winter assessable, especially for our newcomer population,” Jeffries added.
“We know our city is booming and want to make winter as assessable as possible, especially for those experiencing it for the first time.”
Jeffries said attendees can look forward to new additions to PolarFest such as horse-drawn wagon rides, live musical performances hosted within the cozy craft beer garden, in partnership with Happy Craft Brewing, an interactive experience with Llamazing Adventures, and glow-in-the-dark activities.
“We never need an excuse to help us get out of the house I guess when it’s minus 10 degrees, so we’re really looking forward to creating activities that will help us get moving and be comfortable at the same time,” added Jeffries.
The festival will also showcase popular PolarFest activities such as snow-sled races down the enhanced sliding hill, skating along the Muskrat Skating Trail to beats spun by DJ Bones, and opportunities for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing at a discounted price.
Scouts Canada and Arctic Energy Solutions will lead snow bear sculpting sessions, and a skilled artisan will captivate audiences with an ice sculpture demonstration. Various food vendors will be on site, offering a wide array of treats for attendees.
“We can’t wait to celebrate all things winter with our second annual PolarFest,” says Moncton Mayor Dawn Arnold.
“We are lucky to live in a region where we experience all four seasons and the City of Moncton is happy to create opportunities for our residents and visitors to enjoy the best each has to offer free of charge. We look forward to welcoming everyone to Centennial Park on the Family Day weekend!”
Jeffries also said the full schedule will be released leading up to the Polarfest.
