There are few things more reliable than winter. It never misses a year and it always shows up with a bag full of cold, wind, and snow. But if there’s one thing as sure as the coming of winter in Manitoba, it’s the fact that we’ll find a way to embrace and celebrate it.
One example close to home is the annual St. Adolphe Winter Carnival.
The carnival has been a part of winter in St Adolphe for almost as long as hot cocoa with mini marshmallows, and this year was no different. In fact, the 2016 carnival, held January 27–29, was as action-packed as any that came before it.
Carnival coordinator Nicole Lindbolm points out that part of the event’s success and longevity is the diverse line up of fun it offers.
“We have different events for different people,” says Lindbolm.
In addition to the usual jam-packed schedule—kids and youth dances, a cribbage tournament, family bingo, a curling funspiel, adult social on Saturday night, and a kiddie carnival—this year’s event added a Carnival Riot for the pre-teen crowd.
“It was a hoot,” says Lindbolm. “We had about 50 kids playing different cooperative games.”
Of course, no winter celebration in Canada is complete without a good dose of hockey, and this event is no different. The carnival always features Hawks Hockey Day, where each St. Adolphe team plays a home game. The annual Taylor Christensen Memorial Game helps fund two Hawks players to attend hockey camp.
In the end, says Lindbolm, the St. Adolphe Winter Carnival is really all about engendering a sense of community. “People laugh, they hang out, they enjoy themselves,” she says. “It’s a great weekend.”
