Explore the exciting foodie events this winter that is happening around the world. emerge your self in cultures and make new memories. Take part in fun activitys From snow sports and huge ice sculptures warming dishes and sweet treats.
There is a slight chill in the wind that draws the curtain on the cold winter season with Christmas and the New Year around the corner and the joy of the Winter holidays. Whether you are visiting your family back home or travelling around the world, winter is the time to celebrate, eat, drink, dance and be merry. From elegant art shows and groovy jazz festivals to a city-wide party, the perfect way to shake off the chill of the season is the warm cultural embrace of social events and heartwarming food.
Cologne Carnival
Cologne, Germany
Thursday 8th February 2024 to Wednesday 14th February 2024
As the clock strikes the 11th minute past the 11th hour of 11 November, the city of Cologne officially commences their fifth season of the year; the Carnival Season. The highlight of the season is Europe’s oldest and craziest party, the Cologne Carnival which starts a week before the onset of Lent and finishes on Ash Wednesday. For these six days, every year the entire city of Cologne erupts into festive chaos and lets itself loose, singing its hearts out and dancing all night long at parties, parades and balls while drinking beer after beer. Everyone at the festival goes all out and dresses up in the wackiest costumes possible with wigs, makeup, masks and body paint, some even imitating fictional characters and famous figures.
The tradition of the Carnival started from the Germanic pagan tribes from antiquity who used to celebrate the winter solstice by dancing and chanting around the fire at night to worship their gods and exile the evil winter demons. The Christian communities adopted these customs giving them their own cultural meanings.
Food plays an important part in the carnival. As Lent marks the start of the fasting period where no meat is to be consumed, people usually get their fill of meat during the carnival. Heavy drinking and partying need a lot of energy and the Germans rely on sweet treats and fatty foods. Krapfen also known as Berliners or German doughnuts is fried dough with sweet fillings like Bailey’s cream, caramel or fruit preserves is popular at street stalls along with fried potatoes or potato pancakes, blood sausages and fried meatballs with rye bread and mustard. The Pork Knuckle or Haxe is the most popular meat at the carnival with a gluttonous and tender portion of the pork leg with crisp crackling skin all around it paired with a tall mug of Kölsch beer.
For more info on the Cologne carnival and the crazy events that are happening this year check out www.cologne-tourism.com/experiences-lifestyle/carnival
Sapporo Snow Festival
Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
Sunday 4th February 2024 to Sunday 11th February 2024
Hokkaido is Japan’s choice of winter destination with plentiful snow, vast ski resorts and natural hot spring towns and saunas to relax and unwind in the cold months. In the middle of snowball fights and sculpting snowmen, a few middle and high school students made six sculptures out of snow in 1950 which sparked the beginning of a festival. The Sapporo Snow Festival is held every year in February at Odori Park, Susukino and Tsudome in Sapporo when the cold Siberian breeze brings snow to the island of Hokkaido.
The highlight of the festival is an incredible display of around 400 snow and ice sculptures along with snow sculpting contests, singing competitions, outdoor ball dances and snowball fights. along with slides carved out of snow and ice and a huge snow maze. A stage is also made out of snow in the middle of the park where concerts and music shows are held.
Hokkaido is also known for its heartwarming and soulful food. The restaurants in downtown Sapporo serve dishes made out of Tender Crab and Ezo Deer which are the island’s most iconic catch and game in the winter season. The food stands at the festival serve all the usual Japanese festival food delights like Yakitori or skewered grilled chicken, Okonomiyaki pancakes and Takoyaki or grilled octopus balls along with Hot Sake as well as traditional Hokkaido specials like Nabe or crab hot pot and buttered, soy sauce dipped sweet Hokkaido Corn.
For more details on this year’s Sapporo Snow Festival, check out www.snowfes.com/en/
Quebec Winter Carnival
Quebec, Canada
Friday 2nd February 2024 to Sunday 11th February 2024
The winter is sometimes particularly harsh in Canada with freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall. The people of colonial New France in the 17th century started a tradition of gathering together for a massive feast playing music and dancing to break the boredom and chill of the harsh winter. This transformed into the Quebec Winter Carnival in 1894, celebrated as a few days to step out from hibernating and provide relief to the people from the bitter cold. The entire city is brought to life with fairy lights, ice sculptures and large snowmen among which an astounding number of outdoor feasts, brunches, balls, parades, parties and competitions are held.
The highlight of the festival is its mascot. Bonhomme Carnaval is a 2-meter tall, 400-pound snowman with a red beanie, arrowhead sash and black buttons who goes around the city partaking in events and activities. He is called the Prince of the Ice Palace which is a 30-foot tall ice sculpture built every year as a nighttime party house. However, the fun host is rather elusive travelling all over the city and never at his home. Getting a picture with Bonhomme is like a treasure for youngsters.
The true Canadian experience at the Carnival is enjoying a Maple Taffy which is hot maple syrup poured over snow and lapped up with a popsicle stick into a sticky lollipop. It is also customary to drink Caribou, a hot mulled wine which is the official drink of the festival. Food stands are sprawled all over the city with delights like Beaver Tails which are fried dough similar to waffles topped with a choice of cinnamon, apples, hazelnut spread, bananas or maple syrup and Poutine which consists of deep-fried potatoes lathered with veal gravy and topped with fresh cheese curds.
For more details on this year’s Quebec Winter Carnival, check out carnaval.qc.ca/en/
