Carp Winter Carnival buttons available Saturday

CARP – The hottest ticket in West Carleton this winter comes in the form of a button.

The second annual Carp Winter Carnival is taking place Friday, Feb. 25 and Saturday, Feb. 26 and a $10 button is all you need to get in to everything there will be to do that fun-filled weekend. Unless you’re a kid. Then it’s free.

The Huntley Community Association (HCA) revived the Carp Winter Carnival on a cold day in March, 2020. It was a huge success and the last large-scale community event the HCA held before the dawn of COVID-19. The carnival was felled by COVID-19 the very next year, but the HCA was already preparing for 2022.

The HCA announced the return of the winter carnival (again) last month, stating they would remain ‘flexible’ right up to the event due to the rapidly changing COVID-19 regulations.

“The HCA is hoping to have a winter carnival this year,” HCA President Judy Makin shared in a statement to West Carleton Online last month. “Given the current COVID-19 restrictions, we have not finalized our plans yet, and we’ll be waiting to see how the situation evolves over the next couple weeks.  We should know early in February whether we can proceed safely or not.  We will follow all public health guidelines regarding social distancing, masking, capacity limits for social gatherings, etc.”

Well, restrictions are loosening, and the HCA and its team of volunteers are ready to go.

“The HCA is bringing back the Carp Winter Carnival,” the HCA released in a statement today (Feb. 15). “Join us at the Huntley Community Centre (outdoor rink building) on Friday, Feb. 25 and Saturday, Feb. 26. Tons of fun activities are planned and refreshments will be available.”

Events include

Friday evening, Feb. 25

• Family skate at the outdoor rink – 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
• Canteen open for hot chocolate and candy purchases – 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 26:

• Hot breakfast (bacon on a bun plus coffee/milk/juice – $7) at the Huntley Community Centre – 8 a.m. – 11 a.m.
• Hockey games to watch at the outdoor rink courtesy the West Carleton Outdoor Hockey League – 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.
• Maple taffy near the outdoor rink – 10 a.m. until ‘sold out’
• Sleigh rides around the Huntley Community Centre and the Carp Fairgrounds – 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
• Children’s games at the outdoor rink – 1 p.m. – 2 p.m.
• Outdoor bonfire near the rink – all day
• Canteen open for drink and snack purchases – all day
• Take-out spaghetti dinner with garlic bread ($10 per plate – see below for ordering info) – 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.

All weekend:

• Ski, snowshoe or hike to enjoy the Carp Riverwalk Trail
• Add a section to the Snow Worm in the Carp Riverwalk field and post photos to the HCA Facebook page

The Carp Winter Carnival will follow all public health guidelines in place at the time.

The price of admission (for adults – kids are free) is an I ‘love’ Carp button and they will be available for purchase starting this Saturday.
“Buttons will be for sale at the Huntley Community Centre on Saturday, Feb. 19 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and outside the Huntley Community Centre during the Carp Winter Carnival,” the HCA said. “Buttons are $10 each, for adults, and cover admission to all the Winter Carnival events (e.g. family skate, bonfire, horse-drawn sleigh ride, etc.). Winter carnival activities are free for kids.”

Proceeds from the buttons help fund Huntley Community Association activities, such as the Winter Carnival events.

“We suggest you keep your buttons after the carnival, as they may give you a reduced admission to future events and activities,” the HCA said.

The take-out spaghetti dinner scheduled for Saturday (Feb. 26) evening is not included with the purchase of a button. If you would like to order the HCA’s spaghetti dinner for Saturday night, you can do so by sending an email to dinner@hca-carp.ca.

All orders come with a piece of garlic bread. Plates are $10 each. All orders are for take-out only, from the Huntley Community Centre (108 Juanita Drive).

To order:

• Email dinner@hca-carp.ca
• Specify how many plates you would like and whether you prefer meat or meatless sauce
• Include your preferred pick-up time (between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.)
• Include your last name in your email to allow us to quickly process your order at pick-up.
• The deadline to place orders is Thursday, Feb. 24 at noon.
• Payment can be made at pick-up by cash, credit or debit.

Proceeds from this dinner help fund HCA community events, such as this year’s Carp Winter Carnival.

Visit the HCA Facebook page to stay up-to-date on all things Carp Winter Carnival.