The Great Winter Festival: a snowfall that was expected

The snowfall received in Quebec City on Saturday allowed the organizers of the historic Dufferin Terrace slide to breathe a sigh of relief, they who had to postpone the opening due to the temperature.

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“We had our necessary snow cover, but it completely melted with the rain in the last few weeks! says Marc Duchesne, owner of Au 1884, which operates the attraction.

“We saw the days go by and we started scratching our heads,” he adds, laughing.


The Belanger family.

Photo Didier Debusschere

The Belanger family.

The Great Winter Festival was to make its big comeback for a seventh year, Saturday, on the Dufferin terrace with all kinds of activities for the family.

But it was finally postponed to Sunday, as the slide wasn’t ready yet.

A dozen people were busy Saturday spreading snow and watering the historic attraction that has existed for 138 years to allow its official opening.

A few hundred thrill seekers are therefore expected on Sunday to test the slide, which can reach up to 70 km/h.


Frédéric Berthiaume, a ski enthusiast with a wing of wind, had fun on the Plains.

Photo Didier Debusschere

Frédéric Berthiaume, a ski enthusiast with a wing of wind, had fun on the Plains.

A snowy and mild weekend

“We’re going to have a 12-hour sprint to make sure everything is ready. We’re going to bed late, but we should be able to have our first clients at 10 a.m. [dimanche] ! “says Mr. Duchesne.

Up to five centimeters of snow should fall Sunday in the greater Quebec City region, adding to the other five to ten centimeters that were to accumulate on the ground the day before, just in time for a white Christmas.

Intermittent snow showers will also continue overnight and into Monday.

With temperatures hovering around the freezing point until midweek, winter sports enthusiasts will be treated to the perfect temperature for practicing their favorite outdoor activity.

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