Winterlude 2018 underway in Ottawa-Gatineau

Ottawa-Gatineau's annual midwinter celebration of the chilly, snowy side of Canadian life begins today.

The 40thedition of Winterludekicks offFriday morning with the international ice carving competition at Confederation Park, with winners announced Sunday afternoon.

The festival's kickoff party, also in Confederation Park, startsat 7 p.m. andfeatures entertainerAndr-Philippe Gagnonand DJ4Korners, the official DJ of the Toronto Raptors.

• Winterlude Snowflake Kingdom slides north to make room for Mosavernale
• Ottawa-Gatineau road closures for Winterlude 2018
• MAP | Rideau Canal Skateway conditions

Saturday is the annual WinterludeTriathlon onand around Dow's Lake, featuring skating, cross-country skiing and running, along with a free pancake breakfast at 10 a.m. at Ottawa City Hall.

Other highlights include:

• The annual modified bed race on Dow's Lake, Feb. 17 starting at 12:30 p.m.
• The ice dragon boat race,which made a soggy debut in 2017,Feb. 10 starting at 8:30 a.m.
• The return of theWaiter and Waitresses Race on the canal at Fifth Avenue, Feb. 18 at 1 p.m.

When it comes to paid events, the Gatineau Winter Beerfest runs 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. Feb. 2 and 3 at the Museum of Canadian History.

Meanwhile theMosavernales snow sculpture show runs from dusk until 10 p.m. at Jacques-Cartier Park in Gatineau, and is the reason the Snowflake Kingdomhas been shifted slightly north this year.

Winterluderuns until Feb. 19.The full list of events is on the Winterludewebsite.