Québec, Quebec - 13 February 2015
The Government of Canada is committed to supporting marquee Canadian events that promote culture and tourism. To this end, on February 13, 2015, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced $614,800 in support for the 2015 Québec Winter Carnaval, which is taking place from January 30 to February 15, 2015. He made the announcement during a visit with Bonhomme Carnaval, the event’s official mascot.
Support of $500,000 is being provided through Canada Economic Development’s Quebec Economic Development Program, which promotes long-term economic development in the regions of Quebec. This support helps to further promote the Carnaval to visitors outside of Quebec and Canada, with a view to expanding its reach further.
A further $114,800 is being provided through the Local Festivals component of Canadian Heritage's Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage program, which is designed to help increase opportunities through festivals and other events and projects. This support helps local artists and artisans become involved in their community and assists local groups to commemorate their local history and heritage. This announcement brings the Government’s total support for the Québec Winter Carnaval to more than $7.5 million since 2006.
The first large winter carnival in QuébecCity took place in 1894. It was a celebration established by the city’s population to help them get through winter hardships with a festival that would warm the hearts of all revellers.
The Québec Winter Carnaval, which was interrupted by two World Wars and the Great Depression, was held sporadically until the second half of the century. In 1954, during a period of economic development in the Old City of Québec, a group of business people re-launched the festivities. Bonhomme Carnaval made his first appearance the same year and was thereafter the official mascot of the celebration.
The first official version of the modern-day Québec Winter Carnaval took place in 1955. It has since snowballed into one of the largest winter carnivals in the world and a major winter tourism boon for Quebec’s economy.
Today’s Carnaval is best known for its parades – led by Bonhomme Carnaval – the Ice Palace, and its traditional winter activities including snow sculpting, ice canoe races and dogsled rides. Many of the activities are based on early Quebec traditions and lifestyles with a view to showcasing the province’s proud cultural heritage. These events, coupled with Québec’s remarkable heritage, architecture and warmth, attract hundreds of thousands of visitors to the Carnaval each year.
