OttawaA new addition to the 2026 Winterlude Festival means people will be able to see snowmobilers soar up to 12 meters in the air.Councillor hopes the show will boost attendanceCBC News · Posted: Nov 23, 2025 2:05 PM EST | Last Updated: 1 hour agoListen to this articleEstimated 1 minuteThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.Barbegazi, a festival known for extreme sports performances, will be bringing its aerial snowmobile show to the upcoming Winterlude festival in Ottawa. (Barbegazi website)During the upcoming Winterlude festival, people will have the chance to see snowmobilers soar up to 12 meters in the air.The ByWard Market District Authority (BMDA) has announced that it’s partnered with Barbegazi, a winter festival known for extreme sports performances.From Feb. 6 to 8, York Street in the ByWard Market will become an arena for Barbegazi’s acrobatic snowmobile shows.”Barbegazi will bring an entirely new kind of winter programming to our area,” wrote Melanie Anderson, acting executive director and general manager of the BMDA, in a press release. “It’s dynamic, it’s unforgettable, and it shows what’s possible when we rethink how public spaces can be animated in the winter months.”Rideau-Vanier Coun. Stéphanie Plante rold Radio-Canada she hopes that the show will boost Winterlude attendance and contribute to the revitalization of the neighbourhood.Winterlude runs from Jan. 30 to Feb. 16.Barbegazi’s mascot gestures to the crowd Friday during the official announcement that extreme snowmobilers will be wowing the crowds at Winterlude 2026. (André Boisjoli/Radio-Canada)With files from Radio-Canada’s André Boisjoli
Snowmobile acrobatics coming to 48th Winterlude festival
