Mosavernales won't meet attendance target, organizers say

The organizers of an outdoor winter sculpture festivalin Gatineausay they won't be meeting their attendance target.

Mosavernalesorganizers were hoping to have 200,000 people pay a visit to Jacques Cartier Park by the time the exhibition wraps up in early March.

However, bouts ofpoor weather and the ticket price of $10 dollars per visit have kept people away from the illuminated snow sculpture showcase.

The summer version of the festival was completely free.

"With the first edition, innovation always has its challenges. Especially in the middle of winter," said Genevive Mnard, public relations officer forMosavernales.

"In certain ways, I think that they should be applauded for having the courage to do such an event to bridge the two seasons."

5,000 tickets sold

More than 1.3 million visitorsturned out for the freeMosaCanada horticultural exhibition held in the park between June and October 2017.

However, Mosavernalesorganizers told Radio-Canada on Sunday that only 5,000 tickets weresold over the first two weeks of the winter festival.

A warm spell in late January didn't help things, forcing the festival to temporarily close as workers patched up the melting sculptures.

Mnard said there are discussions underway to bring the popular MosaCanadaexhibition back to Jacques Cartier Park in 2018 but even if that does happen, visitors would have to pay to get in.