What to do in February and for Valentine’s Day 2023

• The Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau offers the exhibition“From Pepinot to PAW Patrol^®“. Going there to see the puppets and costumes from our childhood shows.
• Luminothérapie (downtown Montreal): Six colorful works and architectural projections invade the Quartier des spectacles for our beautiful eyes. Free.
• Illumi in Laval will continue to shine with its high definition projections and 25 million lights. Impossible to miss when you are on Highway 15.
• Onhwa’Lumina is an enchanted 1.2 km nocturnal journey to meet the Huron-Wendat people. In Wendake (Quebec region).
• February 25 is Shawicon, which is perfect for meeting famous people and buying original merchandise from favorite movies or books.
• Oh shit! This is the title of an amazing and much loved exhibition on poop at the Musée de la civilisation in Quebec City.
• The Montreal International Children’s Film Festival starts on February 25.

• Lac Masson skating rink (Laurentians): Free. With ice ring and 4 km trail
• Ottawa’s ever-popular Rideau Canal Skateway, which stretches for 7.8 kilometers, while eating a Beaver tail and passing under the city’s bridges. Dates for winter 2023 have not yet been announced. Free.
• Domaine enchanteur (Domaine de la forêt perdue), Trois-Rivières : Path in the middle of the forest, like in a labyrinth.
• La Bleuetière Goulet (Beauce) offers 5 kilometers of trails in the forest, with a heated building with hot drinks and skates.
• At Valcartier Vacation Village, you can skate, slide or stay warm with the palm trees at Bora Parc.
• Do you have an RBC Avion credit card? Don’t forget to claim your free ski ticket on Friday.

• Montagne du Diable Regional Park: For 80 km of hiking and snowshoeing trails, 98 km of ski trails and to visit the new 21-meter high observation tower.
• On February 11 and 25, starting at 6:00 pm, it’s LUMINO at the Parc du Domaine Vert. Snow tubing, lighted skating and snowshoeing, torchlight walk and music are on the menu.
• Between February 10 and March 12, 2023 in Quebec City, the Village Nordik offers an ice fishing experience on the Bassin Louise.
• Every Saturday in February between 3:30 pm and 11 pm, there is a winter astronomy evening at the ASTROLab at the foot of Mount Megantic. A show about the Webb Space Telescope is presented and then you can take a torchlight walk.
• Get a log! Live the era of the lumberjacks who tell of their exploits, while eating local sausages and drinking microbrewery beer. At the Jacques-Cartier National Park, in the Quebec City area.
• For an original activity, walk an alpaca at Domaine Poissant in Mont-St-Hilaire.
• In Ottawa and Gatineau, it’s the wonderful Winterlude from February 3 to 20. Both cities are bustling with activity, from sledding in Jacques-Cartier Park North, to ice sculptures on Sparks Street, to sleigh rides in the Byward Market. Mostly free activities.
• At Frédéric-Back Park in Montreal, La TOHU offers free cross-country skis and snowshoes for 2 hours.

• All across Canada, poutine is celebrated during Poutine week! In 2022, 850 restaurants across the country offered their best poutine. The goal is to visit the hundred or so participating restaurants in Quebec between February 1 and 14 and then vote for your favorite on the site.
• A winter is not a real winter without the Quebec Winter Carnival and its red trumpet, from February 3 to 12, 2023.
• Montréal en Lumière wants to get us outside with its gastronomy, shows and outdoor site between February 16 and March 5. Nuit Blanche will take place on the night of February 25 to 26 and will include manyfree activities.
• Until February 11, we celebrate electronic music with the Igloofest, where the hottest outdoor dance floor in the world is located.
• Then, many parties and carnivals with tons of free activities are held throughout the province:
  • Winter Festival of Rouyn-Noranda (Abitibi, February 16 to 19)
  • Festival St-Côme en Glace (Lanaudière, February 4 to 19)
  • Saguenay en neige (Saguenay, February 2 to 12)
  • Saint-Jean-Port-Joli Winter Festival (Chaudière-Appalaches, February 17 to 19)
  • Showfrette (Beloeil, Montérégie, February 24 and 25)
  • Sherbrooke Carnival (Sherbrooke, Eastern Township, February 24-26)
  • Village sur Glace Roberval (Lac-Saint-Jean, until March)
  • Les Rendez-vous polaires 2023 (Sainte-Catherine, Montérégie, until March)

This year, Valentine’s Day is a Tuesday!

In addition to all the activities listed above that take place on the weekend before or after this day, you have other choices.

• Many hostels and hotels offer a romantic package or special promotion such as :
  • The fabulous Hovey Manor
  • La petite Auberge de Jouvence
  • Saint-Sauveur Manor
  • The Delta Hotel by Marriott Mont-Sainte-Anne, with its Love is in the Air promotion (code LVU)
• Sometimes Valentine’s Day can be a day that doesn’t say anything to you or makes you feel sad a bit. Take the opportunity to get rid of your negative energy by going axe throwing. It feels good!
• Order sushi at the Sushi at Home counter, anywhere in the province of Quebec.
• With the kids, make Valentine’s Day themed crafts or activities
• Get your hands dirty with an original bagel-making workshop in Montreal, via the Viator platform

Header photo credit: Francis Gagnon, Destination Québec cité, Village Vacances Valcartier