Face mask and sash at the waist, Bonhomme stands up to Omicron and moves forward with his 68th Carnival. From February 4 to 13 in Quebec, you will need to be warmly dressed and above all, adequately vaccinated to access the party.
For a second pandemic year, the organization is resisting and refusing to let COVID spoil the celebrations. The Carnival climbs to the barricades to break the gloomy atmosphere, by erecting one of the most imposing ice castles in its history in front of the National Assembly.
Once again, the pandemic will get the better of the traditional parade, which will not take place for a second consecutive year in the streets of Quebec. The curious will however be able to discover behind the scenes of the event by strolling in the belly of four allegorical floats.
Musical evenings have also gone by the wayside. More hip-hop no electro to make the company dance: the carnival instead offers a street hockey tournament on the scale of all the districts, the grand final of which will take place at the amphitheater of Quebec, home of the major junior team The walls.
Another novelty this year: Bonhomme will reign over his winter kingdom from the top of a castle, unlike last year when the palace was scattered in several public places in Quebec. Monday, the workers were busy stacking in ramparts and turrets the 2,700 blocks of ice that will make up the carnival villa inspired by the mansions of California.
Place George-V and Parc de la Francophonie will host slides and skill competitions inspired by lumberjack folklore. To visit the Ice Palace and take advantage of these two sites, you will need to present a vaccination passport.
Some activities are being relegated to oblivion due to the pandemic. Polar swimming, the shovel-sled race and the runners’ challenge will no longer take place in the Jacques-Cartier valley. Ditto for the gathering of the snow bath: the dips will rather take place in the backyards and it is online that the reckless will be able to commune after their exploit.
To attract families to the northern sector of Quebec, the Carnival instead offers a treasure hunt with, at the end of the day, prizes to “take advantage of the magnificent region of La Jacques-Cartier.” “
Finally, the famous ice sculptures return once again to offer themselves to the different districts of the city. About a hundred of them will embellish the main arteries of Upper and Lower Town.
Missing volunteers
Three weeks before its launch, the Carnival is struggling to recruit the volunteers it needs. The organization is still looking for a hundred to ensure the safety of the sites and carnival parties, who were half a million to take advantage of the 10 days of activities in 2020. Of these 500,000 people, half came from outside Quebec. .
The development of the Carnival requires months of work and is the fruit of a full year of reflection. Since COVID, plans change with each new wave and Omicron is no exception: one month and dust away from Day 1, the organization has yet to roll up its sleeves to reinvent the event.
“I’m going to seem a bit boring to say that we are getting used to it, but it’s been two years and in the event industry, it’s a bit our daily life,” explains Mélanie Raymond, the general director of the Carnival. I wouldn’t say we can’t wait for it to be behind us… but we just get by with it. “
Bonhomme is famous for lifting his leg up high: he intends to use his flexibility to snub COVID, again this year, and “put a little light in people’s day”, as desired by the organization.