The Casino du Lac Leamy is a popular tourist attraction. The casino employs over 1,000 people, and attracts some 3-4 million visitors annually. In August, the Casino hosts an international fireworks competition which opposes four different countries with the winner being awarded a Prix Zeus prize for the best overall show (based on several criteria) and can return in the following year.
At the beginning of September, on Labour Day weekend, Gatineau hosts an annual hot air balloon festival which fills the skies with colourful gas-fired passenger balloons. You won't want to miss this colourfull and spectacular event!
Winterlude is an annual festival in Ottawa, Ontario and Gatineau, Quebec that celebrates winter. The festival is run by Canada's National Capital Commission, and was started in 1979. It attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, and includes outdoor activities including public skating and skating displays, snow and ice sculpture competitions, musical concerts at the Winterlude Snowbowl, children's play areas, an 'ice lounge', bed and waiter races and numerous off-site events.
Winterlude is most famous for the Rideau Canal, which is cleared to become the world's largest skating rink for the time of the festival and hosts numerous events, such as skating displays and musical concerts.
Other primary sites of the festival include Jacques Cartier Park in Gatineau which is turned into a massive snow park with slides and structures, events and activities for children and the snow sculpture competition.
The traditional food for Winterlude is called the "Beaver Tail" (a fried dough pastry), although there are also other special Winterlude foods and drinks sold during the festival as well.
The event lasts for three weekends, usually the first three weekends in February.
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