Bon Soo kicked-off in the cold Friday
Bon Soo kick-off Friday night in Sault Ste. Marie, with nine more days of winter fun on the agenda.
Hundreds braved the evening’s frigid temperatures to be the first ones down the always popular bum slides.
The first night of the carnival gave attendees an unconventional way to warm-up in the extremely cold temperatures; fire dancers. The group called Hoop You drew a large crowd with many watching as they made their way to the slides.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
With the exception of snow carver, Rob Amadio, Friday afternoon was the calm before the storm as one of Ontario’s oldest and largest winter carnivals was preparing for all the events through Feb. 11.
The Best in Snow - Soo Mill’s Snow Carving competition is back by popular demand and Amadio had already spent more than ten hours working on his sculptures are Clergue Park.
He is amoung a number of teams that have until Feb. 4 to create something unique for the carnival contest.
“Normally we work with wood, chainsaw carving, but with snow this is our first go at it,” said Amadio.
“It’s been a learning curve for sure, but so far I’m enjoying it even though it’s pretty cold out today.”
The sculptures and return of the bum slides are only some of the many draws as the 60th edition of Bon Soo, ‘Bon Soo Revived.’
Hockey and ringette tournaments, utilize the rink, with other events scheduled throughout the city.
While Friday’s cold temperatures did not seem to keep people away and the forecast calls for the weather to warm-up as the carnival continues, organizers are prepared, with about 135 indoor activities planned as well, including performances, dances and more to keep the community involved.
“Well they’ve always said ‘Bon Soo warms up winter,’” said Sault mayor Matthew Shoemaker.
“It’s not warm out there today, but I think it warms up the spirits of the community for sure.”
“We’re busy, we’re excited at the same time,” said the carnival’s manager, Jeany White.
“We’re working hard, there’s lots of people in the community who are digging deep to make this happen.”
After downsized versions of the carnival the last few years due to the pandemic organizers told CTV News they hope to see a resurgence of Bon Soo and fully expect to be near capacity for the week plus of fun.
“I think people will be either new to Bon Soo coming here in future years or getting bigger crowds within our hometown,” said White.
“We love people from out of town, we love to host people. It’s all about a community and working together and enjoying the winter in a way most people don’t.”
Shoemaker said he hopes that in future years Bon Soo reclaims its title as Ontario’s biggest winter carnival.
A full schedule of events can be found here and more information on the carnival and its history can be found on the Bon Soo website.
Bon Soo kick-off Friday night in Sault Ste. Marie., with nine more days of winter fun on the agenda. (Supplied)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Prince William says wife Kate is 'doing well'
Prince William said on Friday his wife Kate was 'doing well' in a rare public comment about the Princess of Wales as she undergoes preventative chemotherapy for cancer.
BREAKING Canadian Blood Services apologizes to LGBTQ2S+ community for discriminatory blood donation policy
Canadian Blood Services issued an apology on Friday to the LGBTQ2S+ community for what it now admits was a harmful and discriminatory blood donation policy that prevented sexually active men who have sex with men and some trans people from donating blood and plasma.
BREAKING 'Just wait': Toronto mayor hints that WNBA team is coming to the city amid multiple reports
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow says that she is hopeful an announcement could be made soon amid multiple reports that a WNBA team is coming to Toronto in 2026.
Magnitude 4.2 earthquake reported off Vancouver Island's west coast
A 4.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded west of Vancouver Island early Friday morning.
Ontario coroner to investigate death of man who suffered cardiac arrest while waiting in ER
A provincial coroner will be investigating the death of 68-year-old David Lippert, who suffered a cardiac arrest while waiting in a crowded emergency room in Kitchener, Ont.
'Irate male' assaulted Newfoundland officers with block of cheese, police say
Police in Newfoundland say patrol officers were assaulted Thursday by a "very irate male" wielding a block of cheese.
Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.
Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.