One of the unique attractions that was part of this year’s Winterlude was the Icecade on Sparks Street.
Although the winter festival wrapped up on Feb. 18, visitors to Icecade, a small carnival-esque site, experienced air hockey, compact curling and ring-toss. The twist: all of the games were carved out of ice.
“It’s amazing to see the hours of work that must have gone into all this,” says uOttawa student Emily Baker.
Unlike regular carnival games, there were no prizes to be won, all the games were free, and the only objective was to have fun with friends and family.
In addition to all these games, there were a couple ice sculptures where people could get their pictures taken.
For those who either needed a break from the entertainment or just want to lounge while passing by, there were places to sit and relax while warming up around a fire.
Whether they were resting, tossing or competing, all who participated in Icecade seemed to enjoy themselves. Carleton University student Brendan Hewitt was one of them.
“My favourite activity was definitely the air hockey,” Hewitt says. ” I’ve always been a fan of hockey, and it’s really neat that they have the ice sculpture of the game too.”
Others, like sales representative Chris Jefferson, simply enjoyed being with his wife and young son.
“When I saw this attraction as part of Winterlude, I thought it would be nice to bring my family with me,” Jefferson says. “Enjoying our time together while getting fresh air at no expense is a great way to spend the day.”