IT’S ON. 

BARBEGAZI is coming to Ottawa during Winterlude 2026 to transform the ByWard Market District into a high-energy winter arena.  

Expect a weekend with sky-high levels of adrenaline from February 6 to 8, 2026, with ice-cold freestyle snowmobile performances reaching up to 40 feet in the air.  

Whether you’re a die-hard fan of extreme winter sports or about to experience the thrill for the first time, get ready to feel the ground shake beneath your feet as engines roar, and riders fly over York Street. This action-packed weekend also brings food trucks, an ice rink, and plenty of surprises still to come! 

And no, as much as you cannot resist the urge to pronounce it in your best Italian accent (at least, we can’t...), BARBEGAZI is a Swiss-French word that means “frozen beard”, and the name of a legendary mountain gnome in alpine folklore.  

And guess what? You’ll get to meet them in-creature.

That’s right – the festival’s iconic mascot will be roaming the area during the event to greet with love, hugs, dance moves and spontaneous challenges (even we don’t know what they have in store for you...). 

Mark your calendars, February 6 to 8, 2026, and don’t miss the first-ever edition of BARBEGAZI in Ottawa, right here in the ByWard Market District.