And we're off! The Snowflake Kingdom is officially open!
Gatineau, February 3, 2017. – The Snowflake Kingdom is officially open! From February 3 to 20, 2017, Jacques-Cartier Park will go festive and turn into a giant winter playground!
Faits en bref
| ● | The Snowflake Kingdom is an annual gathering, and the highlight of the winter for many Gatineau families. |
| ● | The 2017 program lineup for the Snowflake Kingdom was developed around the theme of Explore our Canadian Landscapes. |
| ● | In addition to the famous slides, visitors will be able to enjoy a number of free activities this year, including the extreme zipline! |
In addition to the Kingdom's famous slides, a host of new activities await visitors this year.
| ● | Mother Earth, the landmark piece of MosaïCanada 150/Gatineau 2017, will be sculpted out of snow, and illuminated through a digital art projection after dark. It will be open to the public until 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. That projection will be a nod to the event that will be taking place from July 1 to October 15, 2017 at Jacques-Cartier Park in Gatineau. MosaïCanada 150/Gatineau 2017 is part of the festivities surrounding the 150th anniversary of Canada's confederation. |
| ● | The extreme zipline, measuring over 165 metres in length, will cross over the site's main square! This activity is available at no charge as part of the festivities surrounding the 150th anniversary of Canada's Confederation. |
| ● | The National Snow Sculpture RendezVous will be back after a seven-year hiatus. Canada's five regions will be represented, and a national contest will give the public a chance to vote for their favourite sculpture. The sculptures will be illuminated after dark until 9 p.m. from Thursday to Sunday. |
| ● | The following five regions of Canada will be represented:
- the Atlantic
- the St. Lawrence and the Great Lakes
- the Prairies
- the Pacific
- the North
|
| ● | Visitors will get to wind their way through the snow maze. |
| ● | Musical bicycles will remix the songs of different artists at the pace of the cyclist. That activity will take place over the second weekend. |
| ● | There will be an extreme aerial acrobatics and wall trampoline show. |
| ● | Shows and buskers will be on hand throughout the site. |
| ● | Shows and buskers will be on hand throughout the site. |
| ● | Parts of the program will be moved to Maison Charron, including Parks Canada, the Book Fair, Gatineau 2017 and Tourisme Outaouais. |
Social media developments
| ● | Gatineau is taking advantage of #Domainedesflocons to promote its new Snapchat account. Visitors to the Snowflake Kingdom are encouraged to use the geofilter created for the occasion. It will be available during business hours for all Snapchat users at Jacques-Cartier Park. The Gatineau account will also take users behind the scenes at the Snowflake Kingdom throughout the event. Add Gatineau by using the ville_gatineau username or https://www.snapchat.com/add/ville_gatineau |
Coming back in 2017!
| ● | The Snowflake Kingdom's famous slides! A total of four giant slides will offer 19 lanes! The slides will be illuminated after dark. |
| ● | The Ice Hog family, which includes Papa, Mama, Noumi and Nouma, will once again set up camp at the Snowflake Kingdom. Be ready for lots of hugs! |
| ● | Dog sled rides will be available on the weekends. |
| ● | There will be an introduction to downhill skiing for the little ones. |
| ● | The giant games will provide loads of fun! |
| ● | Visitors will be able to warm up at the outdoor fireplaces. |
Snowflake Kingdom
| ● | Ville de Gatineau has co-produced this giant winter playground since 1982 with Canadian Heritage! |
| ● | This event is made possible by the many Gatineau volunteers. |
| ● | For the full program lineup, go to domainedesflocons.ca. |
Vehicle access and parking
| ● | Traffic will be redirected and parking changes will be made for the safety of visitors to the Snowflake Kingdom. |
| ● | For a map of the parking and traffic changes, go to www.snowflakekingdom.ca |
Quote
“This year once again, more than 200,000 people are expected at the Snowflake Kingdom in Gatineau! This giant winter playground is a snow paradise for children, and admission is free! It is a unique opportunity to experience the magic of winter with the family during Winterlude!” pointed out Gatineau Deputy Mayor Mireille Apollon.
Images
Associated links
Promotional video of the Snowflake Kingdom
Snowflake Kingdom:
Winterlude:
Gatineau 2017:
Snowflake Kingdom Facebook Page:
Winterlude Facebook Page:
Snapchat address: https://www.snapchat.com/add/ville_gatineau
Username: ville_gatineau
