# A first-timer's guide to the Quebec Winter Carnival 2027 Carnaval de Québec 2027 runs 5-14 February with night parades, an ice canoe race and Bonhomme's Ice Palace, plus how to add Montréal with a trip planner app. Canonical: https://www.go-guided.com/en/posts/quebec-winter-carnival Published: 2026-10-12T23:30:00.000Z Author: Sandra Romano On 9 January 1955, Quebec City's mayor stood in front of Porte Saint-Louis and handed the keys to the city to Bonhomme Carnaval. That was the mascot's first appearance. The carnival he fronts has run every winter since. The Quebec Winter Carnival 2027 runs from Friday 5 February to Sunday 14 February. That's ten days of night parades and an ice palace, plus a canoe race on the St. Lawrence that makes very little sense until you watch it. This guide is for first-timers. It covers how cold it really gets and what to pack, plus which events to plan around and why we think Montréal deserves a couple of your nights. ## The Carnaval in a nutshell Carnaval de Québec is a ten-day winter festival based in Old Québec. The main site is at 1086 boulevard Honoré-Mercier, next to the Parliament Building, right at the edge of the old city walls. If you're staying in Vieux-Québec, you can walk there. ```json:object { "_key": "eb53dbddf0af", "_type": "mainImage", "alt": "A snowy street in Old Québec lined with historic stone buildings, near the funicular that connects the Upper and Lower Town.", "asset": { "_ref": "image-6cedcd9306de48e25e8cd88f7ab97993eed93123-3349x5023-jpg", "_type": "reference" }, "layout": "intrinsic", "markDefs": null, "metadata": { "_type": "sanity.imageMetadata", "blurHash": "dlJ8nkM{WBof~qt7bHae%gozofogaeWBRjWBt7V@ofay", "dimensions": { "_type": "sanity.imageDimensions", "aspectRatio": 0.666733028070874, "height": 5023, "width": 3349 }, "hasAlpha": false, "isOpaque": true, "lqip": "data:image/jpeg;base64,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", "palette": { "_type": "sanity.imagePalette", "darkMuted": { "_type": "sanity.imagePaletteSwatch", "background": "#5c543d", "foreground": "#fff", "population": 4.18, "title": "#fff" }, "darkVibrant": { "_type": "sanity.imagePaletteSwatch", "background": "#2a594e", "foreground": "#fff", "population": 0, "title": "#fff" }, "dominant": { "_type": "sanity.imagePaletteSwatch", "background": "#5c543d", "foreground": "#fff", "population": 4.18, "title": "#fff" }, "lightMuted": { "_type": "sanity.imagePaletteSwatch", "background": "#b3c4c2", "foreground": "#000", "population": 2.2, "title": "#fff" }, "lightVibrant": { "_type": "sanity.imagePaletteSwatch", "background": "#dce4f4", "foreground": "#000", "population": 0, "title": "#000" }, "muted": { "_type": "sanity.imagePaletteSwatch", "background": "#898779", "foreground": "#fff", "population": 2.75, "title": "#fff" }, "vibrant": { "_type": "sanity.imagePaletteSwatch", "background": "#489784", "foreground": "#fff", "population": 0.04, "title": "#fff" } }, "thumbHash": "JvgRDQJ1d493qIhoZ3h4iNpwgL8o" }, "objectFit": "fill" } ``` A few events go out to other neighbourhoods, the night parades in particular. The history goes back further than Bonhomme. Quebec City held a winter carnival as early as 1894, but it came and went for decades, stopped by both World Wars and then the Depression. The 1955 edition is the one that stuck, and 2027 carries on an unbroken yearly run from that year. How big is it? It's often called the largest winter carnival in the Western Hemisphere, and the 2018 edition counted more than 530,000 visitor-days. You'll share the old city with a lot of people in red sashes. We think that's half the fun. ## How cold does Quebec City get in February? Cold enough that your clothes decide whether you have a great night or head back to the hotel at 8 p.m. In February, Quebec City averages a high of about -6°C (21°F) and a low of about -16°C (3°F). People who've been to the carnival report nights down around -20°C, and the parades and the palace's evening scene happen after dark, when it's coldest. Expect to be outside for hours at a time. Dress for that, not for the walk from the hotel door to the taxi. ### What to wear Skip cotton. Your base layer should be something breathable, and everything else goes on top of it. This is the kit we'd pack. - A breathable, non-cotton base layer - A mid-layer, such as a sweater or fleece - A proper winter parka. A city coat won't do the job at -20°C. - Snow pants, even if you feel silly in them on day one - Warm boots with good grip - Mitts rather than gloves - A toque - Hand and toe warmers, more than you think you'll need Then there's the ceinture fléchée, the red arrow sash that's a Carnaval tradition. It's sold on site for around $20, and you tie it on the left side. We'd buy one on your first afternoon and wear it all week. ## What the ten days feel like Should you build the trip around the daytime program or the nighttime one? Go for the nights. The daytime program is good, especially with kids, but the carnival is at its best after dark, when the palace lights up and the parades come out. If your schedule only lets you choose one, choose the evenings. ### The night parades There are two Night Parades in the 2027 program. Their dates and routes haven't been published yet, but the pattern is worth knowing. In 2026, one ran through Limoilou on the first Saturday and the other went along Grande Allée on the last Saturday, one at each end of the festival. Expect the same shape in 2027, with one parade near the opening weekend and one near the closing weekend. We'd plan the trip around one of those two weekends rather than the quieter middle, so at least one parade falls inside your dates. ### The ice canoe race If you see one event, make it this one. Teams of five race canoes on the St. Lawrence River, through open water and moving ice floes. When the ice closes in, they climb out and drag or skate the canoe across it, then jump back in. A race can last up to three hours. ```json:object { "_key": "249254d5a4ef", "_type": "mainImage", "alt": "Boats navigating the frozen St. Lawrence River near Quebec City in winter, the same stretch of river where the carnival's ice canoe race is held.", "asset": { "_ref": "image-040eac1dba8f5d6dcac3922a8f3a32f521f73f57-5184x3456-jpg", "_type": "reference" }, "layout": "intrinsic", "markDefs": null, "metadata": { "_type": "sanity.imageMetadata", "blurHash": "VeGJaIt8j?j[axY8kCWBfQfRb{Rkfkofj[n+j[a}WCay", "dimensions": { "_type": "sanity.imageDimensions", "aspectRatio": 1.5, "height": 3456, "width": 5184 }, "hasAlpha": false, "isOpaque": true, "lqip": "data:image/jpeg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wAARCAANABQDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAGQAAAgMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIDBAUG/8QAIRAAAgIBBAIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDBAAFBhETMVEhQeH/xAAVAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACBP/EABoRAAIDAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADARRBUQT/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/AOtGsaWULAyED0hyjNujSlYKO9ifkDrOZ1ncLwkpHWjHI88/mPSuPZoCzMkRY/QXgZdZZskUeZeEjblpOxKVrLD2Ewx7MyxOFEKHlQfGGGyzoq6+H//Z", "palette": { "_type": "sanity.imagePalette", "darkMuted": { "_type": "sanity.imagePaletteSwatch", "background": "#323842", "foreground": "#fff", "population": 8.42, "title": "#fff" }, "darkVibrant": { "_type": "sanity.imagePaletteSwatch", "background": "#132233", "foreground": "#fff", "population": 0.22, "title": "#fff" }, "dominant": { "_type": "sanity.imagePaletteSwatch", "background": "#323842", "foreground": "#fff", "population": 8.42, "title": "#fff" }, "lightMuted": { "_type": "sanity.imagePaletteSwatch", "background": "#a5bed2", "foreground": "#000", "population": 6.17, "title": "#fff" }, "lightVibrant": { "_type": "sanity.imagePaletteSwatch", "background": "#86b8ec", "foreground": "#000", "population": 0.03, "title": "#fff" }, "muted": { "_type": "sanity.imagePaletteSwatch", "background": "#676e79", "foreground": "#fff", "population": 7.81, "title": "#fff" }, "vibrant": { "_type": "sanity.imagePaletteSwatch", "background": "#71abdd", "foreground": "#000", "population": 4.83, "title": "#fff" } }, "thumbHash": "JtcJJYaJd3eNd4hriHiIcIdwdAdH" }, "objectFit": "fill" } ``` The race is confirmed for 2027, but its date and time haven't been announced. In 2026 it ran on the first Sunday of the festival, 8 February, at 12:30 p.m. If it keeps that slot, it would land on Sunday 7 February 2027. Treat that as a guess until the official program confirms it. > **Guided tip: **Three hours is a long time to stand beside a river in February. Watch the start, go somewhere warm, then come back for the finish. ### Bonhomme's Ice Palace The Ice Palace is built from scratch every winter, with a new theme each time. In 2026 it had a room for each of several Quebec legends, and local high school students made one of them. Earlier editions have looked at the carnival's own history and given visitors a peek at Bonhomme's “crash pad.” ```json:object { "_key": "e045a015a49a", "_type": "mainImage", "alt": "An illuminated ice castle glows at twilight, similar in spirit to the carnival's own Ice Palace, rebuilt from scratch with a new design every winter.", "asset": { "_ref": "image-6cce96691d68535844c3f8fc63cf0cdf1e5bf32d-3024x4032-jpg", "_type": "reference" }, "layout": "intrinsic", "markDefs": null, "metadata": { "_type": "sanity.imageMetadata", "blurHash": "dY8GB]RPogWAyZR.kCaeR*adadj[RVn$a#kXV=ofbEf8", "dimensions": { "_type": "sanity.imageDimensions", "aspectRatio": 0.75, "height": 4032, "width": 3024 }, "hasAlpha": false, "isOpaque": true, "lqip": "data:image/jpeg;base64,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", "palette": { "_type": "sanity.imagePalette", "darkMuted": { "_type": "sanity.imagePaletteSwatch", "background": "#084a90", "foreground": "#fff", "population": 0, "title": "#fff" }, "darkVibrant": { "_type": "sanity.imagePaletteSwatch", "background": "#084484", "foreground": "#fff", "population": 6.31, "title": "#fff" }, "dominant": { "_type": "sanity.imagePaletteSwatch", "background": "#084484", "foreground": "#fff", "population": 6.31, "title": "#fff" }, "lightMuted": { "_type": "sanity.imagePaletteSwatch", "background": "#0a4b8e", "foreground": "#fff", "population": 0, "title": "#fff" }, "lightVibrant": { "_type": "sanity.imagePaletteSwatch", "background": "#8abff6", "foreground": "#000", "population": 2.47, "title": "#fff" }, "muted": { "_type": "sanity.imagePaletteSwatch", "background": "#4b6481", "foreground": "#fff", "population": 0.8, "title": "#fff" }, "vibrant": { "_type": "sanity.imagePaletteSwatch", "background": "#1a62e2", "foreground": "#fff", "population": 0.11, "title": "#fff" } }, "thumbHash": "3oQJDQSFdn94WHZnh4Z3iGYYcCYC" }, "objectFit": "fill" } ``` Go twice. In daylight you can take your time in the rooms. After dark the palace is lit up and the area around it becomes an open-air party with DJs and drinks. We'd spend at least one evening there. ### Bringing kids? This is one of the easier big festivals to do with children. There's a dedicated play area with giant puppets, a climbing wall, ziplines, a petting zoo and sled runs. Slide City is exactly what it sounds like, and there's a 45-foot ice-climbing structure for older kids who need more of a challenge. The International Snow Sculpture Competition runs all festival long, and the public votes for the winner. We think the sculptures get overlooked. Walk the whole lineup before you vote. Adults get their own night out too, at the masked ball in the Fairmont Château Frontenac. ### What to eat and drink Start with the maple taffy, poured straight onto the snow. It's the one you'll have trouble finding at home. Caribou, the carnival's warm, mulled-wine-style drink, and Beaver Tails pastries round out the signature food and drink line-up, for when you need something fried. ## First-timer logistics Anyone aged 12 or over needs an Effigy to get into the paid festival sites. It's a wearable badge, and one Effigy covers the whole carnival, not just one day. You can buy it online or at the ticket booths, and volunteers sell it on site too. Wear it where staff can see it. Most people clip it to their zipper. 2027 Effigies are already on sale. We're not quoting a price until we can confirm it, but in past years it has cost less the earlier you bought, so there's no reason to wait. The step-up Carnaval Pass adds a toque and food and drink vouchers, and it comes with a discount booklet too. We'd get the Pass if you'll be eating on site over several days. For a single weekend, the basic Effigy is enough. > **Guided tip: **Clip the Effigy to your parka before you leave the hotel. You don't want to be digging through three layers at the gate. ### Where to stay Stay inside the old city walls or just outside them. The main site is an easy walk from Vieux-Québec hotels, and walking home after a parade beats waiting for a ride at -16°C. Book your room well before the festival. We'd book as soon as your dates are set. ### Getting around Old Québec and the main site are easy on foot. The parades are the exception. They've usually run in neighbourhoods outside the old city, including Limoilou and, in some past years, Charlesbourg. Check each route once the 2027 program is out, and leave time to get there before it starts. ## Adding Montréal Don't plan Montréal as a separate trip. It's about three hours from Quebec City by train, bus or car, which makes it an easy add-on to a carnival week. ```json:object { "_key": "dff2b2dd2863", "_type": "mainImage", "alt": "A snow-covered residential street in Montreal after a winter storm, an easy train or bus ride from Quebec City.", "asset": { "_ref": "image-c72b5a06d0e954783befe00e252e8ade29305758-6000x4000-jpg", "_type": "reference" }, "layout": "intrinsic", "markDefs": null, "metadata": { "_type": "sanity.imageMetadata", "blurHash": "V7EN3iMw00W=x]00tm$$a|V@*0.9.An$I9x]DhRkMw%1", "dimensions": { "_type": "sanity.imageDimensions", "aspectRatio": 1.5, "height": 4000, "width": 6000 }, "hasAlpha": false, "isOpaque": true, "lqip": "data:image/jpeg;base64,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", "palette": { "_type": "sanity.imagePalette", "darkMuted": { "_type": "sanity.imagePaletteSwatch", "background": "#2b364b", "foreground": "#fff", "population": 9.38, "title": "#fff" }, "darkVibrant": { "_type": "sanity.imagePaletteSwatch", "background": "#09203c", "foreground": "#fff", "population": 0.13, "title": "#fff" }, "dominant": { "_type": "sanity.imagePaletteSwatch", "background": "#2b364b", "foreground": "#fff", "population": 9.38, "title": "#fff" }, "lightMuted": { "_type": "sanity.imagePaletteSwatch", "background": "#9eb4cc", "foreground": "#000", "population": 0.15, "title": "#fff" }, "lightVibrant": { "_type": "sanity.imagePaletteSwatch", "background": "#a4c4f8", "foreground": "#000", "population": 0, "title": "#fff" }, "muted": { "_type": "sanity.imagePaletteSwatch", "background": "#697d9a", "foreground": "#fff", "population": 9.2, "title": "#fff" }, "vibrant": { "_type": "sanity.imagePaletteSwatch", "background": "#8e3c48", "foreground": "#fff", "population": 0.01, "title": "#fff" } }, "thumbHash": "4tYNDYJHh3eAh3eZeXd2h+lvo/8W" }, "objectFit": "fill" } ``` - VIA Rail train: about 3 hours 14 minutes, $40 to $190 CAD one way. Around five trains a day, with the cheapest fares going to early bookers. - Intercity bus: about 2 hours 55 minutes, $19 to $50 CAD one way. Several companies run the route. - Car: about 3 hours, 250 to 260 km by road. Cost is fuel and parking. The bus is the budget option. If money is tight, we'd take it happily. Otherwise, we'd book the train early and aim for the bottom of that fare range. It's 19 minutes slower than the bus, which we think is a fair trade. We'd skip driving. Three hours at the wheel in February is three hours you could spend asleep. The order of the two cities matters more than the transport. We'd plan the Quebec City half first and give Montréal whatever days are left. Arrive on Friday 5 February for the opening weekend, when the first parade is expected and, if 2026's timing holds, the canoe race too. Then take a midweek train to Montréal. Or reverse it. Spend the first few days in Montréal and arrive in Quebec City for the closing weekend and the second parade on Grande Allée, if the 2026 route repeats. Either way, book the VIA Rail leg as soon as your dates are fixed. The cheapest seats in that $40 to $190 CAD range go first. ## Planning your trip When should you go? Choose a weekend, opening or closing, and build the rest of the trip around it. Then do the rest in this order. - Book your room in or near Vieux-Québec well before February. - Buy your Effigy early, while it's cheapest. - Watch the official program for the 2027 parade and canoe race times. Don't lock in day trips until you have them. - Book the VIA Rail leg to Montréal early if you want the lowest fares. - International visitors should check Canada's current entry requirements before booking. Once the 2027 program is published, add the parade nights, the canoe race and your Montréal train to the Guided trip planner, so the whole ten days is in one place. Then go buy the sash. ## Enjoyed This Blog? Continue Reading! There is plenty more where this came from, so keep scrolling for our other destination guides and trip-planning posts.[horizontalScroll: non-text section]