Among all the pre-Lenten celebrations that take place around the world in February, the most famous are associated with warm-weather cities like Rio and New Orleans, where revelers party in elaborate costumes during the run-up to Ash Wednesday. It"s a different affair in Quebec City, Canada, pictured here, where participants in the Quebec Winter Carnival enjoy all things winter, from snow sculptures to sleigh races. This former frontier outpost, and little sister to Montreal, is known for its spirited embrace of the coldest, darkest season. So, it"s no surprise that its winter festival is the biggest in the Western Hemisphere. Our homepage image shows the grandiose Château Frontenac hotel, which opened in 1893, towering over the city"s historic Old Quebec neighborhood, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.