Winterlude begins Jan. 30, 2026

Winterlude starts today in Ottawa–Gatineau, and the forecast is simple: dress warmly and stay outside longer than planned. The festival began in 1979, when the National Capital Commission set out to make winter feel inviting rather than isolating—and that thinking still holds.

© PensiveDragon/Shutterstock

palette

Today in History

Wind-powered ice racing
Jan. 30, 2024Aýna, Albacete, Spain
Jan. 30, 2025Vancouver International Boat Show

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Mar. 8, 2024International Womens Day
Jan. 24, 2025Thorrablot: The Icelandic midwinter festival
Jun. 17, 2024Pollinator Week
Jun. 25, 2024Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada
Sep. 1, 2025Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, United States
The sea that acts like a lake
A life-sized snow globe
Jan. 23, 2024Maldives
King of the ocean
A grove glows green
Oct. 18, 2025International Archaeology Day
Mesmerising glass pyramids
Nov. 29, 2024Mont-Saint-Michel, Normandy, France
May 9, 2025Canadian Tulip Festival
Jul. 24, 2025Happy Cousins Day!
Dec. 23, 2023Festivus
A time-worn medieval marvel
A butterfly’s best friend
Sep. 23, 2024Sea Otter Awareness Week
Blurring the lines with wearable art
Go hug a mountain, if you can
Mar. 3, 2024World Wildlife Day
What are these unique creatures?
Three petals and three leaves
Apr. 12, 2025International Day of Human Space Flight
Apr. 8, 2024Total solar eclipse
Mar. 21, 2025Happy International Day of Forests!
Dec. 27, 2025Plate ice along Lake Superior, Grand Marais, Minnesota, United States
May 4, 2026Star Wars Day
Apr. 25, 2025World Penguin Day