Winterlude begins Jan. 30, 2026

Winterlude begins

Winterlude starts today in Ottawa–Gatineau, and the forecast is simple: dress warmly and stay outside longer than planned. The festival began in 1979, when the National Capital Commission set out to make winter feel inviting rather than isolating—and that thinking still holds.

© PensiveDragon/Shutterstock

palette

Today in History

Wind-powered ice racing
Jan. 30, 2024Aýna, Albacete, Spain
Jan. 30, 2025Vancouver International Boat Show

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Nov. 20, 2025World Childrens Day
Babbling on and on
Jun. 1, 2024Pride Month
May 14, 2025Porto Flavia, Sulcis-Iglesiente, Sardinia, Italy
Jun. 28, 2024Stonewall uprising anniversary
Sep. 8, 2024International Literacy Day
Apr. 4, 2026Black grouse males, Estonia
May 7, 2025Dunluce Castle, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Canoeing in solitude
Sep. 18, 2023Milky Way over Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park
Apr. 22, 2026Earth Day
This lesson is going swimmingly
Jun. 29, 2024Tour de France 2024
Stretching to the sky
Apr. 22, 2024Earth Day
Shades of Fall
Boardwalk nostalgia
May 12, 2025An iris garden in Tokyo, Japan
A world within a world
Nov. 24, 2023Green Friday
Jul. 15, 2025Perseid meteor shower over Nevada
Pearl among the emeralds
City of ice
Aug. 26, 2024Palmyra Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, Central Pacific Ocean
Feb. 21, 2024Firefall at Yosemite
This magical beach is worth the hike
Nov. 8, 2024Glacial rivers, Iceland
Winter wonderland for your wallet
Mar. 9, 2026Grey seal sleeping on the beach, Orkney Islands, Scotland
Jun. 18, 2024Lupine fields, Snæfellsnes, Iceland