The Ottawa Valley is once again hosting a weekend of outdoor rink fun at the second annual Festival of Outdoor Rinks. The event takes place February 10-12, with 20 rinks participating. This year’s event title sponsor is Ontario Power Generation.
“The weather looks to be cooperating for this year’s Festival,” says organizer Jennifer Layman. ”We had 1,500 participants in last year’s event when many of the rinks melted, so I’m excited to see the turnout for this year with a great weather forecast.”
Every rink will kick-off the Festival with the singing of O’Canada at 7 p.m. to help celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday. After that, it’s all up to the rinks what they have planned. Some are participating all three days, and others one or two days. The full schedule is posted on the event website at: www.festivalofoutdoorrinks.com.
“In many places in our area, the Festival of Outdoor Rinks is the first event celebrating Canada’s 150th birthday,” says Ms. Layman. “It’s so appropriate that it happens at the outdoor rinks which have such a deep history in this country throughout Canadian winters. It will be fun to celebrate that.”
There was no cost for rinks to participate, and several are hosting their winter carnival events over the same weekend. There is no cost for people to attend the events at any of the rinks in the Festival.
Foresters Falls Athletic Association is participating in the event at the outdoor rink on Saturday, Feb. 10.
Other rinks participating this year include Barry’s Bay, Braeside RA Centre, Calabogie Community Centre, Combermere, Dacre, Deep River, Douglas, Horton Community Centre, Killaloe, Ma-te-way Park, Madawaska Community Centre, Maison des Jeunes (Fort Coulonge), McNab Public School, Rankin Culture and Recreation Centre, Round Lake Recreation Centre, Whitney, White Lake and Wilno.
The promotion is made possible with the support of local businesses and organizations. They include: Ontario Power Generation (title sponsor), Killaloe Lions Club, Layman Fire & Safety, Ottawa Valley Jobs, Travel Our Backyard and Ottawa Valley Business.
