WinterPLAY | Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo

Schedule of Events

WinterPLAY opens at 10 a.m. and closes at 8 p.m. Event grounds will be monitored by security during the day and overnight to ensure the safety of all. Please respect the event hours and do not access the event grounds after hours.

Daily events:

Horse n’ Wagon Rides, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. - Cancelled for Saturday due to temperatures below -25

Ice sculptures and slides, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Leisure skating at Borealis Park 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 20: 2 to 8 p.m.

Rink and fire pit bookings	2 to 4 p.m.
Board games in the WinterCHALET	2 to 5 p.m.
Indigenous Cultural Programming: Stories and Bannock with Elder Lorraine Albert	Cancelled on Friday only
Indigenous Cultural Programming: Moss bag teachings and crafts with the Nistawoyou Association Friendship Centre	2:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Indigenous Cultural Programming: McMurray Métis Trapper’s Tent	2 to 7 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 21: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Community Pancake Breakfast	10 to 11:30 a.m.
Indigenous Cultural Programming: Stories and Bannock with Elder Lorraine Albert	10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Indigenous Cultural Programming: McMurray Métis Trapper’s Tent	12 to 5 p.m.
Cabane à Sucre (Sugar Shack) brought to you by the ACFA Régionale de Wood Buffalo	12 to 5 p.m.
Fireside activities with ATCO	12 to 8 p.m.
Ice Sculpture Demos	1 p.m. \| 5 p.m.
Indigenous Cultural Programming: Willow wreath dreamcatchers and Métis dot art painting with Miss Kayla Aikins	2:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 22: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Community Pancake Breakfast	10 to 11:30 a.m.
Indigenous Cultural Programming: Stories and Bannock with Elder Lorraine Albert	10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Indigenous Cultural Programming: McMurray Métis Trapper’s Tent	12 to 5 p.m.
Cabane à Sucre (Sugar Shack) brought to you by the ACFA Régionale de Wood Buffalo	12 to 5 p.m.
Fireside activities with ATCO	12 to 8 p.m.
Ice Sculpture Demos	1 p.m. \| 5 p.m.
Indigenous Cultural Programming: Willow wreath dreamcatchers and Métis dot art painting with Miss Kayla Aikins	2:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Skating Under the Fireworks	6 to 8 p.m.
Fireworks!	7:30 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 23 and Tuesday, Feb. 24: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Rink and fire pit bookings	10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Indigenous Cultural Programming: Stories and bannock with Elder Lorraine Albert	10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Indigenous Cultural Programming: McMurray Métis Trapper’s Tent	12 to 4 p.m.
Indigenous Cultural Programming: Moss bag teachings and craft with the Nistawoyou Association Friendship Centre	2:30 to 4:30 p.m. (5:30 p.m. Tues)
Monday only! Theme skate night: Glow Skate!	5 to 8 p.m.

map of WinterPLAY event grounds

Shootout on the Snye

Shootout on the Snye has been cancelled due to extreme cold and wind chill.

Several teams have already cancelled, significantly impacting scheduling and team availability for the tournament.

Players who were registered as of Feb. 20 will be refunded their registration fees next week.

This event is beloved by many and this decision was not made easily. The safety of players, volunteers, referees, and staff is the top priority.

Don’t worry, the ice rinks won’t go to waste; leisure skating is still able to be booked at your own discretion below!

Fuel up at the WinterCHALET

Feeling hungry? The WinterCHALET will be open from 2 to 8 p.m. on Friday and from 12 to 8 p.m., Saturday to Tuesday, featuring:

BBQ (burgers, hotdogs)
Coffee, tea, and baked goods
Chips, pop, bottled water and snacks

Register for a chance to win Skate Under the Fireworks

On Sunday, Feb. 22, you could skate under the fireworks on your own rink, complete with a firepit.

Winners may bring a total of 20 family members or friends (winner included)! Perfect for creating unforgettable winter memories.

The draw will take place on Friday, Feb. 20 at 12 p.m., to skate during the fireworks display on Sunday, Feb. 22 from 6 to 8 p.m.

Enter to Skate Under the Fireworks!

Rink and fire pit bookings

Book your own rink or fire pit during WinterPLAY! Rink bookings are free and can be made on available time slots on Friday (after 2 p.m.), Monday and Tuesday.

There are also time slots available on Saturday and Sunday, but bookings are limited due to Shootout on the Snye.

Plan ahead by booking online! You can book 45-minute time slots with 15-minutes in-between bookings.

You may only book two back-to-back time slots, for a total of 1 hour and 45-minutes.

Book your rink and firepit!

Please dress for the weather and windchill

To safely enjoy WinterPLAY, please look ahead at the forecast.

Remember to:

Dress in layers. This will help you maintain your body temperature.

Wear a toque, mittens or gloves, and good winter boots.

If you’re able, pack extra layers in your vehicle or backpack, especially for kids.

Know the signs and symptoms of frost nip and bite and get somewhere warm if you start to experience it.

While there will be warm-up tents set-up throughout the event site, many of the WinterPLAY activities are outside of these tents. To make sure your experience is enjoyable, please dress to the conditions.

Snye closures and construction

As event construction for WinterPLAY continues, please be advised:

The parking lot at the Snye will be closed until Feb. 27.

You’ll need to access the Clearwater River from Waterways.

When the event begins, drive with caution and obey traffic signage.

Continue to use caution, follow all posted signage and stay clear of barricaded areas, construction crews and equipment. Construction areas are clearly marked and monitored to ensure public safety.

For those looking to access the Clearwater River, please use the Tom Weber and Raphael Cree boat launches.

Check out WinterPLAY from last year!