Jan. 24 to 26 - 2nd Annual Severn Winterfest. Demolition derby, dance, ice bar, roller skating, igloo village, pancake breakfast, walking trail, giant snow slide, wagon rides, and of course the polar bear dip at 1p on Sunday. Friday, 5pm to Sun., 3pm. ODAS Park, 4500 Fairgrounds Rd., Severn.
705-325-0353; severnwinterfest.com/
Feb. 1 and 2 - Winterfest. Named one of the Top 100 Festivals in Ontario, this is a truly Canadian winter carnival adventure for the whole family. Fire and Ice Light Show. All weekend enjoy dog sled rides, horse-drawn wagon rides, midway, lumberjack shows, skating, polar bear swim, pancake breakfast, crafts, story time, ice slides. Kids will enjoy exploring the ice maze Ñ snow sculpture with slides carved right into the snow and ice. 10am to 5pm. Free admission. Heritage Park and Downtown Barrie. 705-739-4285; barrie.ca/Culture/Festivals/Pages/Winterfest.aspx