Create memories at WinterPLAY!
The northern spirit of our Region was celebrated at WinterPLAY 2022. Dog sled rides, pond hockey and skating, strolling the boardwalk taking in the incredible ice sculptures, horse drawn wagon rides, cuddly farm animals and magical firework shows. The Snye was filled with the sights and sounds of family, friends and neighbours as they enjoyed free activities to embrace the winter season, making memories that will last a lifetime.
Event Highlights
- The 26 Ice Sculptures along the Snye boardwalk presented by United Rentals featured several Indigenous inspired pieces, a well-placed float plane, a dog sled, a tiger welcoming Chinese New Year, and more! All equaling 21.6 tons of ice.
- 2 ice slides
- 350 dog sled rides and 372 horse wagon rides
- Two 20-minute musical fireworks shows
- Eight skating rinks with hundreds of bookings
- 7 corporate partners (United Rentals, A1 Portables, Burnco Rock Products, AlumaSafeway, Tridon Communications, ACDEN Environment and Culligan Water)
Thank you to community and corporate partners, vendors, and event organizers for making WinterPLAY 2022 a memorable event for all.
Take the WinterPLAY Survey
Share your thoughts about WinterPLAY by taking a short survey at participate.rmwb.ca.
Feedback from this survey will help make next year’s event even better.
Continue the spirit of WinterPLAY and participate in local winter activities
While WinterPLAY is over, remember that there are local activities available to continue to enjoy the winter season. There are lots of outdoor winter recreation areas in the Region, such as outdoor rinks, sledding hills, groomed winter trails and more! Visit rmwb.ca/parks to learn more.
WinterPlay Activities
Activity booking opens 12 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 22.
- Skating and Firepit Bookings
- Dog sled rides
- Cancelled - Sunday, March 6. Due to warm temperatures
- Horse drawn carriage rides
- Ice Sculptures
- Petting Zoo
- Feb. 26 – March 6 from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- Fireworks
- February 26 at 7:30 p.m.
- March 5 at 7:30 p.m.
WinterPLAY 2022 Hours of Operation:
- Feb. 25 – 5p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Feb. 26 to March 5 - 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- March 6 – 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
We continue to work with Alberta Health Services as the leading authority on COVID-19 in the province. Please note that public health measures can change quickly and could impact WinterPLAY and any of its activities at any time. Attendees are to follow all Alberta Health Services COVID-19 guidelines. For information on COVID-19, visit alberta.ca/COVID.
| Date | Time |
|---|---|
| Feb. 25 | 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. |
| *Note: Rinks and event site closes at 8 p.m. Rink Rules and Safety Guidelines apply. | |
| Feb. 26 | 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. |
| *Note: 7 p.m. fireworks skate booking available by random selection. To complete the online entry form click here. |
|
| Feb. 27-March 4 | 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. |
| March 5 | 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. |
|
*Note: 7 p.m. fireworks skate booking available by random selection. To complete the online entry form click here. |
|
| March 6 | 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
| *Note: Rinks and event site closes at 6 p.m. Rink Rules and Safety Guidelines apply. | |
Activities
| Dog sled rides |
|
Due to projected warm temperatures, Controlled Chaos has cancelled all WinterPLAY Dog Sled Tours on Sunday, March 6. The health and well being of the canine athletes is top priority. Thank you for your understanding.
Controlled Chaos Information Controlled Chaos is proud to be back and providing Dog Sled tours throughout WinterPlay, 2022! With over 20 years of mushing experience, Controlled Chaos is Fort McMurray’s award-winning Dog Sled organization. Operating locally, our mission is to foster the wellness of mushing canines through promoting the heritage and value of mushing as a sport and important tradition within northern communities.
Participants of WinterPlay Dog Sledding are encouraged to check us out at controlledchaos.ca for further details on our vision, values and private tour options!
To support the wellbeing of our dogs and to maintain safety for all those in attendance, residents are encouraged to read and follow all rules and regulations prior to booking via the booking link. *Please note that tours will not operate on any day where temperatures are 0 degrees or above to ensure the dogs do not overheat. |
| Horse drawn wagon rides |
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Take in a scenic view of Borealis Park and book a horse drawn wagon ride with your friends and family. Online booking for FREE Horse drawn wagon rides is now open. *Online Booking Required* |
| Petting Zoo |
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Oink, quack, moo, come visit the WinterPLAY petting zoo! Petting zoo visits are FREE. *No Booking Required*
To accommodate more visits with the animals, the Petting Zoo will no longer require a ticket.
Petting Zoo details:
As WinterPLAY is an outdoor event, please ensure to dress appropriately as there are no warm up tents available. To avoid potential long wait times, please remember you can come during the week as the weekends are anticipated to see more visitors. |
| Fireworks |
|
Feb. 26 at 7:30 p.m. and March 5 at 7:30 p.m. Fireworks will take place at Snye point. Parking is available at the following locations:
Check out the site map for location details. |
| Ice Sculpture Village Presented by United Rentals |
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Beautiful ice sculptures make a fun experience for the whole family! Ice sculptures can be seen at your leisure along the Snye boardwalk. |
| Skating at Borealis Pond |
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The Borealis pond skating rink is back! Lace up your skates and have an enjoyable winter day with the family. No booking required. |
| Skating at Lions Park |
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Take in the beautiful lights with a skate around Lions Park on the ice trail. No booking required. |
| Winter Activities at MIP |
| Embrace the beauty of the winter season with exciting Winter Activities at MIP! Hit the ice at the Skating Path presented by United Rentals or the outdoor rink under the canopy at SMS Equipment Stadium. Take a walk on the island at the Walking Trails presented by Canadian Natural or try out the Cross-Country Skiing Trails presented by Ledcor. |
| Explore the Birchwood Trails |
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The 135 km-maintained trail system known as the Birchwood Trails creates endless opportunities for everyone to enjoy the outdoors. |
For WinterPLAY inquiries, contact the Pulse Line at 780-743-7000 or email pulse@rmwb.ca.
Meet the sled dogs
Meet the horses
Frequently Asked Questions:
| What activities require advanced booking? |
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Bookings are required for skating on the Snye, dog sled rides and horse drawn wagon rides. You do not require a booking to view the ice sculptures, go to the Petting Zoo, skate on Borealis Pond or the fireworks. |
| How do I book a skating rink? |
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Rink bookings will be available starting Tuesday, Feb. 22 at noon. You can book a skating rink by clicking on the 'Book Now' button under the 'Skate on the Snye' image above. |
| How do I book a dog sled ride? Do I have to pay? |
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Dog sled rides on Sunday, March 6 are cancelled due to warm temperature. Thank you for your understanding.
Dog sled ride bookings will be available starting Tuesday, Feb. 22 at noon. You can book a dog sled ride by clicking on the 'Book Now' button under the 'Dog Sled Ride' image above, which will take you to the vendors booking system. Dog sled rides are free of charge. |
| How do I book a horse drawn wagon ride? Do I have to pay? |
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Horse drawn wagon ride bookings will be available starting Tuesday, Feb. 22 at noon. You can book a horse drawn wagon ride by clicking on the 'Book Now' button under the 'Horse Drawn Wagon Ride' image above, which will re-direct you to the Eventbrite bookings page. Horse drawn wagon rides are free of charge. |
| How do I book for the Petting Zoo? Do I have to pay? |
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Petting Zoo is free of charge and does not require a booking. |
| Is WinterPLAY free? |
| All WinterPLAY activities are free of charge. |
| Will there be Shootout on the Snye this year? |
| Shoot out on the Snye will not be a part of this year's WinterPLAY.
Event planning for WinterPLAY began in late 2021 and with relaxation of certain public health measures being recently announced, this did not allow for sufficient time to plan and organize the Shootout on the Snye tournament for this year. The Shootout on the Snye is expected to return for WinterPlay 2023. |
| Can I volunteer for WinterPLAY? |
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We will not be utilizing our incredible volunteers for this event. We understand that volunteering is important for our community. We encourage you to visit Wood Buffalo Volunteers and check out upcoming volunteering opportunities. We look forward to seeing you at our future events.
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| Will there be food or hot chocolate at WinterPLAY? |
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Jacks BBQ Express will be set up at WinterPLAY this year with food and beverages available for purchase. Please discard your waste appropriately, using the waste and recycling bins available on site. |
| Are there washrooms available? |
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Public washrooms available at the Haxton Centre at Borealis Park. |
| Will there be skate rentals and skate sharpening again this year? |
| Skate rentals and skate sharpening will not be available at WinterPLAY this year. |
| Do I need a ticket to go see the ice sculptures? |
| You do not need a ticket to see the ice sculptures. |
| Will there be parking available? |
| Parking is available on site. Please refer to the site map to find parking. |
| Where can I watch the fireworks? |
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Fireworks can be viewed from the following parking lots:
Please refer to the site map for more information. |
