Bon Soo’s 60th carnival a finalist for province's top festival award

Famous in northern Ontario for "warming up the winter," the Bon Soo Winter Carnival is now bringing the heat this summer.

Event organizers are excited to share that this year’s 60th edition of the Sault’s popular snowy festival has been nominated for an Ontario Choice Award by Attractions Ontario in the category of "top festival and event."

The carnival’s post-COVID revival year was deemed a huge success this past February as the festival sold more than 9,000 buttons and passes throughout its nine-day run.

A number of new events like the Polar Rush obstacle course and the 19+ zone at Northern Superior were well-received by the public, while familiar classics like the Polar Bear Dip and bum slides remained community favourites.

The Bon Soo Winter Carnival is up against 12 other festivals and events, including Niagara Falls Elvis Festival, Bingemans Oktoberfest, and Stouffville Ribfest.

Recently elected as the president of a new-look Bon Soo Board of Directors, Odd Job Jacks founder Kurtis McDermid says the nomination is a credit to the overwhelming success of the carnival this past winter.

“I’m absolutely ecstatic that we were nominated,” he says. “Bon Soo had been struggling for a few years, especially through COVID and everything. I started last year on a steering committee that tourism put together, so it’s nice to get in on that rebound. There was a lot of energy last year, and it’s good to know that all the hard work is being recognized.”

Leading a nine-person board of directors for Bon Soo, seven of whom are brand-new, McDermid says his team has been working hard throughout the summer months to make next year’s event even better than the last.

“We’re putting a lot of work together this year to do digital point of sale purchasing,” he says. “We redid our website and are still working on it. We’re also working on partnerships for swag and online stores. With the type of people we have on the board now, we’re finally able to catch up with the times and get things digital.”

“We’re really focusing on making Bon Soo more into a tourism attraction. It’s always been an attraction for the people of Sault Ste. Marie, and that’s never going to change. But we have to start looking broader and at our surrounding communities and extend its reach and bring in more tourists to our city during what’s supposed to be the coldest part of winter.”

Bon Soo event organizer and special events coordinator Josh Ingram says a representative from Attractions Ontario recently informed the city that Bon Soo had met the criteria for an Ontario Choice Award in the top festival and event category.

Of the 13 events nominated throughout the province, the Sault’s popular winter carnival is the only one listed from northern Ontario.

“The recognition is really an example of different community partners coming back together to prop up and revive the festival,” Ingram says. “We were really able to capture some of that winter magic that we should be known for in northern Ontario. Even without winning, we’re playing in the right leagues to be acknowledged at this level.”

“I started with the Downtown Association in 2004, and I know it hasn’t been nominated from then until now, so it’s probably been close to 20 years that there’s been this kind of recognition. This is some great notoriety for this amazing homegrown event.”

The public can submit one vote per day all summer before the winner is revealed in September.

To vote, visit here.