Experience the Magic of Winter at Walden Winter Carnival – February 6-9, 2025!

Get ready for a weekend of outdoor adventure, family fun, and community spirit at the Walden Winter Carnival, taking place in the Greater Sudbury Area in Lively, Ontario, from February 6-9, 2025! This vibrant winter celebration offers a mix of exciting activities such as ice skating, snowshoeing, winter sports, and a lively winter marketplace. Enjoy delicious local food, live music, and endless opportunities to explore the beautiful snowy landscapes of the region. It's the perfect way for families to embrace the outdoors, stay active, and create unforgettable memories together. Our in-home and online tutoring service is a firm believer in the power of experiential learning and community celebrations. We're excited to provide an inside look at the Walden Winter Carnival through an exclusive interview with one of the lead volunteer organizers—read on for all the details!

The Teachers on Call in-person and online tutoring team encourages families to explore the outdoors as a rich learning experience. Outdoor adventures like sledding, snowshoeing, and ice skating not only get kids moving but also spark their curiosity about the winter environment and local wildlife. It’s a hands-on way for families to learn about nature, all while having fun together in the great outdoors. New this year, don’t miss the Simply Taylor event on Saturday, February 8, celebrating everything Taylor Swift with the Simply Taylor Tribute Show. And as a special bonus, be sure to catch an exclusive interview with Richard Eberhardt, vice-chair of the Walden Winter Carnival, as he shares the history behind the carnival and what makes it such a must-visit event for families in the area. This event is made possible because of a dedicated group of volunteers and sponsors, including host sponsor IAMGOLD. Check out our recent blog recapping a special educator tour at Côté Gold Mine in Gogama.

Participating Walden Winter Carnival Locations

Festivities will be taking place in the city of Lively, located approximately16 kilometres west of the City of Sudbury’s downtown core. Locally, the community is recognized as part of the Walden area. Lively is known for shopping, entertainment, beautiful nature and the school district for Rainbow District School Board and Sudbury Catholic District School Board.

• T.M. Davies Community Centre,  325 Anderson Dr, Lively, ON P3Y 1M8
• St. James Catholic School,  280 Anderson Dr, Lively, ON P3Y 1M8
• Anderson Farm Museum,  550 Regional Rd 24, Lively, ON P3Y 1M9
• Ecole St. Paul,  185 6th Ave, Lively, ON P0M 1J0
• Lively District Secondary School,  265 5th Ave, Lively, ON P3Y 1M9

Behind the Scenes with Richard Eberhardt: A Sneak Peek into the Heart of the Walden Winter Carnival!

It’s incredible that this is Greater Sudbury’s longest-running winter carnival and one of the longest-running in the North, entirely volunteer-run! Can you tell us about the origins of the Walden Winter Carnival, the story behind its name, and how it connects to the City of Sudbury?

The Walden Winter Carnival started in 1973 when a number of local playground groups in what had once been independent townships were combined on the creation of the Town of Walden - an amalgamated municipality in the west of the regional municipality of Sudbury - in that same year. The event has run consistently every February since, growing in leaps and bounds, adding events, filing whole venues and now sprawling over a four day weekend and five sites in Lively, which was the largest community in Walden and now a part of the City of Greater Sudbury.

For all the Swifties out there, can you tell us more about Simply Taylor and what makes this a special addition to this year’s carnival?

The Carnival is excited to add the Saturday Night All-Ages Stage to our event - a fun accessible evening event for everyone to enjoy. This year’s performance is a popular show which has drawn crowds across the region - a “Taylor Swift Celebration” presented by We Bring The Party. Simply Taylor is a fun live music event where Swifties young and old can dance and sing their way through the Eras!

Looking for more ways to make learning fun with the Swifites in your life? Check out our blog: Teaching with Taylor: How the Eras Tour and Swift's Influence Spark Classroom Conversations.

What do the Carnival Buttons include, how much do they cost, and where can people purchase them in advance?

Carnival buttons have stayed at only $5 for many years, making the Walden Winter Carnival one of the most accessible events for families in the region. The button includes all our activities for the entire four days of the Carnival with the exception of special nighttime adult events and the All-Ages Stage. Food at the event is extra, but otherwise there is no added fee for any of the activities at any of the main Carnival sites. 

Buttons are available in advance from Lively area retailers including Roger and Nancy’s Independent (65 Regional Rd 24 #24, Lively, ON P3Y 1C3), Home Hardware (130 Regional Rd 24, Lively, ON P3Y 1J2), Pinehill Lumber (2 Black Lake Rd Pinehill, Lively, ON P3Y 1C6), Joyful Home (240 Regional Rd 24, Lively, ON P3Y 1P7), and the Sudbury Credit Union(16 Jacobson Dr, Lively, ON P3Y 1M8). They are available at every Carnival gate through the weekend event.

As Greater Sudbury’s longest-running winter carnival, entirely volunteer-run, what types of volunteer roles are still available, and how can students looking to complete volunteer hours get involved?

Having signed up about a hundred volunteers already, we have a healthy crew to run our weekend events. However, we could still use about 10-15 more volunteers, youth and adults, particularly on the Sunday of the event. Activities needing volunteers include assistants for the Hayride, mini-sticks rink attendants, skate monitors, cotton candy and snow cone servers. These are great roles for students. Emailing volunteerswwc@gmail.com will connect you with our volunteer coordinator.

Check out What Students in Ontario Need to Know About Volunteering.

Can you share details about the Button Contest, Boxcar Derby, and Walden Winter Dash? What should participants know about joining or attending these events?

• Each button has a number, and with it you can enter a draw to win great prizes - baskets for kids, youth, and adults. 
• The Boxcar Derby is a chance to build and race your own cardboard box slider. Get assembling and bring your entry to Anderson Farm (550 Regional Rd 24, Lively, ON P3Y 1M9) on Saturday at 11:30
• The Walden Winter Dash is a new event - a fun winter relay for teams of four - kids and grownups welcome! Win great prizes. 
• All the details in the contests section of our website www.waldenwintercarnival.com

What role does the carnival play in bringing the community together, and how does it reflect Sudbury’s spirit?

Better to ask how it reflects the spirit of what we still refer to as Walden, a group of communities on the western side of the City of Greater Sudbury. We are proud to host the rest of the city and people from all around to our town for this fun annual event, and we are thrilled to see people of all ages enjoying the events we bring.

What food and beverage options will be available at the carnival, and do you have any recommendations for local spots visitors should check out?

We have excellent food service on the Carnival site. Saturday and Sunday morning from 8-11 the pancake breakfast at the Arena hall is always a hit, and a bbq lunch follows in the same venue. A variety of food trucks will be selling their offerings at the Anderson Farm site.

How many attendees are you anticipating this year, and where do visitors typically come from?

We are anticipating well over 5000 attendees over the weekend!

With over 100 activities and events planned, what are some must-see attractions for families, kids, and adults alike?

• The Figure Skating show by Copper Cliff Skating Club is a favourite on the ice surface. 
• The Inflatable Wonderland within the Kids Zone at St. James is the place kids remember most
• Our Haunted Hallway is a Walden Winter Carnival tradition and a joy to all those who love jump scares
• The Fireworks on opening night are some of the best you’ll see all year!
• Maple Taffy, free, on Saturday outside the arena is a special treat
• A new Giant Maze will be a fun addition to Anderson Farm
• For adults, our new Carnival Market Square maker show at Lively District Secondary School is a great way to be a part of the carnival - featuring 50 vendors, a golf simulator, learn-to-play Pickleball and the Carnival Cafe

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This event is made possible by a dedicated, community-based committee of around 15 volunteers who begin planning each February’s festivities all the way back in the summer. Don’t forget to grab your carnival button and explore all the exciting events lined up! We hope you’ll join the fun at this annual celebration of winter fun.

The Walden Winter Carnival  is not only a highlight of the season for families but  an excellent opportunity  to engage students outside the classroom. The hands-on activities, from snowshoeing to maple taffy making, offer unique learning moments in nature, science, and local history. Whether you’re a parent or educator, the Teachers on Call online and in-home tutoring team encourages you to embrace the winter wonderland as a fun, interactive way to foster curiosity and learning in students. If you love winter festivals in Northern Ontario, be sure to stay tuned for our upcoming spotlights on events happening in North Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Timmins, and Thunder Bay—there's plenty more winter magic to explore!