With Ottawa having a traditional winter for the first time in years, businesses are revelling in the snow and cold, especially as Winterlude kicks off this weekend.
Kevin McHale, executive director of the Downtown BIA, told OBJ this week that this year’s winter conditions have been just the “sweet spot” needed for activities downtown.
“(Winterlude) is a weather-dependent event … We’re optimistic because we’ve had a good winter. The forecast is cold to keep the ice going, but not so cold that it’s going to deter people. The forecast looks like a traditional Ottawa winter,” McHale said.
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Winterlude, described as the “flagship event of the winter tourist season in Canada’s Capital Region,” runs from Jan. 30 to Feb. 16, spanning three weekends of winter activities.
McHale said the Rideau Canal Skateway as well as events happening at Jacques Cartier Park, Confederation Park and the ByWard Market will be “great draws” for Ottawa’s downtown.
“When people think of Winterlude, they think of the canal and we’ve had a really good start to the canal season this year … We’ve heard from hotels that people will make the trip from Montreal, Toronto and elsewhere if the canal is frozen.
“Wintertime is traditionally a slower time for a lot of retail businesses and restaurants, but that’s why events like Winterlude are fantastic.”
With the ice-carving competition moving back to Confederation Park, McHale said the BIA will animate Sparks Street with its Winter Wander festivities. The BIA is also partnering with local event management company Optimal Show Experience (OSE) to animate the area.
Over on the canal, which has been open for skating since December, Dunrobin Distilleries is seeing a bump in traffic to its two booths. Adrian Spitzer, co-founder and president, told OBJ on Friday that this year’s weather conditions have had a significant positive impact on business.
“The fact that you can skate up and get a hot beverage, maybe an alcoholic beverage, which can help warm you up is really nice. Traffic is up and I think that has a lot to do with the conditions. The conditions are favourable so that brings people out,” Spitzer said.
Dunrobin Distilleries has had a presence on the canal since 2022. The first year was cut short due to the “Freedom Convoy,” while warmer weather conditions prevented a skating season altogether in 2023 and made for only a 10-day season in 2024.
With colder conditions anticipated to continue this year, Spitzer said he’s expecting a longer skating season.
“We’re expecting a good, long season which really helps … give us confidence moving forward in future years on the canal. It’s a long-term investment to be out there. We want to be where our customers are. We want to be seen. We want to be part of the community and we’ll continue to do that,” Spitzer said.
The canal isn’t the only place to find Dunrobin Distilleries. Late last year, the distillery partnered with the Fairmont Chateau Laurier to open 1912, a speakeasy bar inspired by the year in which the hotel opened. The bar exclusively serves spirits from Dunrobin Distilleries.
“There’s the (Lion’s Roar whisky) with Winston Churchill on it, Laurier’s whisky and we’ve got a gin and vodka under the private label as well … So if you really enjoy those spirits there, that’s the only place you can get them,” Spitzer said.
1912 has been “extremely popular” since it debuted in December, he added, even though it only accommodates about 25 people.
“We’ve had really good showings there and it’s quaint,” he said. “To have Dunrobin’s logo etched on the glass at the Chateau Laurier, we’re pretty proud of that.”
Another business happy with this year’s winter weather is BeaverTails, a staple for skaters on the canal. Jessie Cullen, the new CEO of BeaverTails Ottawa, said the cold weather meant the earliest start to the season that the company has seen in years.
“We were really lucky that we got to open on Dec. 31, which was the first time we opened before the New Year in several years,” she said.
The unpredictability of the weather and of ice conditions has been a major challenge for businesses on the canal in recent years, but Cullen said that’s the nature of the arrangement.
“It’s fun being involved with the (National Capital Commission) and Heritage Canada,” she said. “You’ve got all these staff members on call, ready to start, and you’re just waiting for their green light to get people on the ice. It’s a really interesting business model, in the sense that we’re really waiting on the weather.”
A cold January with good snowfall has meant a successful start to the year, according to Cullen, who hopes to see the winter weather continue.
“It’s been a pretty cold month,” she said. “We’re hoping that Winterlude will draw people out, regardless of the temperature outside, so we can have a successful season. But it’s been good so far. Absolutely amazing.”
