25 fun Family Day events across Canada
Looking for something to do this Family Day? Check out these fun Family Day events happening across Canada.
By Amy Valm
Updated May 09, 2017
Photo: iStockphoto
There's plenty of fun to be had this Family Day. This year, the festivities begin in B.C. on February 13, with the rest of the provinces celebrating Family Day a week later on February 20.
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Note: B.C. celebrates Family Day a week earlier than the rest of the country.
9th annual Children’s Arts Festival If you’ve got creative kids, take them to the Children’s Arts Festival in Richmond for a full day of workshops and activities. Register ahead of time for artist-led creativity classes ($10-$15 per child, which includes general festival admission) on topics like cartooning, musical theatre, puppet making and more. Or you can drop in to various Imagination Stations throughout the event to enjoy author readings, short performances and crafts (free with general admission). Visit the website for a full schedule of events and to download a brochure.
Richmond Cultural Centre, 7700 Minoru Gate, Richmond.
Admission: $5 per person
Family sleepovers at the Vancouver Aquarium Ever had a slumber party with a beluga whale? Get in on all the underwater fun at the Aquarium with a special Family Day sleepover on February 12. Tour the aquarium, participate in sea-themed experiments and get the answers to all your pressing pacific questions. (How do killer whales talk with their nose, anyway?) Then enjoy a tasty bedtime snack before setting up camp in the underwater view gallery for some aquatic ZZZs. (Don’t worry—the whales don’t snore!) Kids must be six years or older and accompanied by a parent or caregiver.
Vancouver Aquarium, 845 Avison Way, Vancouver.
Admission: $115 per person ($92 for members)
Family Day at Whistler Blackcomb Hit the slopes this Family Day for a snowy day of fun – for half the price! Residents of B.C. get 50 percent off full-day lift tickets, or take advantage of special weekend rates. There will be plenty of awesome activities to do between ski runs, like Ziptrek Ecotours, relaxing at one of the Nintendo gaming lounges, snowshoe tours, and enjoying special discounts and offers at the on-mountain restaurants.
4545 Blackcomb Way, Whistler.
Admission: Adults $70; seniors $63; Youth 13-18 $59; Kids 7-12 $35.
Family Day at Bear Mountain Bear Mountain is hosting a variety of indoor and outdoor events all weekend, but the majority of the activities take place on Sunday, February 12. Start the day with a family hike (includes complimentary hot chocolate) and spend the afternoon enjoying a guided mountain bike ride, colouring contests or some fun rounds of tennis. Put your golf skills to the test with free club rental and driving range use, or take a swing at a free one-hour golf lesson from a certified instructor (popcorn provided!). Plus, take a self-guided tour around the golf course via golf cart ($20 per cart), available all weekend long or visit on Saturday afternoon for a free family swim. Want to make it a weekend getaway? Visit their website for special rates and offers.
1999 Country Club Way, Victoria.
Admission: Varies by activity
ALBERTA
Edmonton Valley Zoo's Family Day Fun Visit the Edmonton Valley Zoo from 12pm-4pm for an afternoon of animal activities. Participate in a scavenger hunt, make a polar bear craft and learn more about the zoo's Arctic Ambassador program. Warm up with a cup of hot chocolate (bring a reusable mug!), visit the face-painting station and do a fun (supervised) experiment. Plus, get a free family photo from the onsite photobooth to remember the day.
13315 Buena Vista Road, Edmonton.
Admission: Adults $10.25; Youth 13-17 and seniors $9.25; Kids 2-12 $6.25; Kids under 2 are free; Family pass $32
Fire and Ice Festival Presented by the local St. Albert Firefighter Union, this free event offers lots of outdoor fun like skating, pond hockey and live entertainment. There's also a firefighter-themed obstacle course and fire hose tug of war, and even a performance by a fire artist. There is no parking at Lacombe Lake Park, so park at the St. Albert Centre and take the free shuttle, which runs every 10 minutes during the event.
Lacombe Lake Park, McKenney Avenue West, St. Albert.
Admission: Free; Donations are welcome, and will go towards the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
MAGapalooza presents: Extreme Printmaking at the Red Deer Museum + Art Gallery Spend the afternoon at the Red Deer Museum + Art Gallery for tons of family-themed fun, from 1-4 pm. Enjoy a Winter Fun Snow Zone, Slap Shot Hockey Printmaking and even Monotone Bumper Prints (made by riding tricycles!). There's also plenty of snacks, of course.
4525 47A Avenue, Red Deer.
Admission: Free; Donations are gratefully accepted.
Family Day Open House at Rutherford House Provincial Historic Site Travel back in time with a visit to Edmonton's Rutherford House. This historic site, which was the home of Alberta's first premier, is hosting an afternoon open house to celebrate Family Day. Participate in traditional indoor and outdoor family games, make an old-fashioned craft, and sample a fresh treat made at the onsite historic kitchen.
11153 Saskatchewan Drive, Edmonton.
Admission: Adults $8; seniors $6; youth seven to 17 $5; kids six and under are free; family pass $20.
Family Fun Day at Eau Clair Market This free carnival-themed event offers games (with prizes!), live entertainment, a magic show, ice carving demonstration and more. The first 500 guests are rewarded with free hot chocolate and coffee.
202, 200 Barclay Parade Southwest, Calgary.
Admission: Free
Silver Skate Festival Love winter? You're in luck! This year, Family Day falls within Edmonton's 27th annual Silver Skate Festival, a 10-day event that celebrates sports, arts, and all things winter. The Family Fun Zone is ideal for kids of all ages and includes snow sculpture demonstrations, sleigh rides, winter sports, and more. If you visit the weekend before Family Day, there’s also free cross-country ski rentals, snowshoeing, free orienteering and even a snow-sculpting lesson.
William Hawrelak Park, 9330 Groat Road Northwest, Edmonton.
Admission: Free (activities vary)
Family Quest at the Gasoline Alley Museum Do you and your family love racing? So does the Gasoline Alley Museum. This year, their Family Quest theme is dedicated to the greatest drivers in history, the activities will not disappoint. The event includes a Winter Roads interactive scavenger hunt and the chance to get your own limited edition Gasoline Alley driver's license. Be the first to cross the finish line as you race your RC car against others, steer your tricycle around obstacles, or even create your own custom racing flag! The festivities run from Feb. 16-20, 10 am-4 pm.
1900 Heritage Dr SW, Calgary.
Admission: Adults and kids 15+ $11; seniors $8.50; youth seven to 14 $7; kids three to six $5.50; kids under three are free.
SASKATCHEWAN
Family Day workshops at 4Cats studio
The 4Cats motto is: Families that create together are great together. Get crafty this Family Day with one of their family workshops. Choose between the "Whole Lotta Cuppa" mug-making project for families or other workshops strictly for the kiddies. Book soon to reserve a spot.
Albert Park, 4649 Rae Street, Regina.
(Already have Family Day plans? The studio offers workshops all year round. Check out their calendars on their website below.)
Workshop fee: $25 and up
MANITOBA
Note: In Manitoba, Family Day is known as Louis Riel Day.
Franco-Fun Day at the Children’s Museum To help immerse kids into Canada’s French-Canadian culture, the Children’s Museum is holding their eighth annual Franco-Fun day. Museum admission gets you access to plenty of traditional crafts and activities, as well as live performances.
45 Forks Market Road, Winnipeg.
Admission: Free with museum admission, $11 per person
Festival du Voyageur There are plenty of great winter activities during the annual Festival du Voyageur (February 17-26) and Family Day weekend is no exception. Enjoy skating, traditional food and live music all weekend long. Take in an outdoor wood-carving challenge (February 18-20) and don’t miss the Tommy Prince Family Mosaic (day-of) at 11:30 a.m.!
233 Provencher Boulevard, Winnipeg.
Admission: Adults (18+) $20; youth (5-7) $10; family (single-day) $95; activities vary
ONTARIO
Family Day at the Art Gallery of Ontario Art-lovers, beware: Kids are invading the AGO! To celebrate Family Day, the Art Gallery of Ontario is being transformed into the Kids Gallery of Ontario and will host a wide range of activities, classes and workshops to keep your budding Picassos busy all day long. Try jump roping, create your own kite, watch family-friendly films, make a paper sailboat and much more.
317 Dundas Street West, Toronto.
Admission: Adults $20; seniors $16; youth and students $11; kids under five are free; family pass $39 (that’s $10 off the regular rate); AGO members are free
Winterfest at Markham Museum Celebrate the season with the whole family at the Markham Museum. Go snowshoeing, learn to talk like an animal and explore the magic of snow, then warm up with indoor activities, crafts and good food.
9350 Markham Road, Markham.
Admission: $4 per person; kids under two are free.
Hamilton Kids Fest The Canadian Warplane Heritage museum is transformed into an-all out kid paradise this Family Day weekend. Children 12 and younger will enjoy all kinds of rides, live performances (musical acts, puppet shows and even exotic animal exhibits), craft workshops and more.
9280 Airport Road, Mount Hope.
Admission: Adults $10; kids $25 (includes unlimited rides); infants one and under are free; family pack: $60
Family Day on Toronto’s Waterfront Hop on the TTC and make your way down to Toronto’s waterfront for a day of free indoor and outdoor events. Bring your furry family members through Purina Pawsway and take in a Woofjocks Canine All-Star show. Plus, bring a reusable travel mug to enjoy free hot beverages at several stops along the water.
Various locations along Toronto's waterfront.
Admission: Free
Family Fun Fest at Downsview Park The indoor amusement park has rides, bouncy castles, a photo booth, treats and entertainment, including live performances. DooDoo the International Clown of Fun will be a hit with the kiddies!
40 Carl Hall Rd., Toronto.
Admission: Adults from $8; kids two and up from $25
HarbourKIDS Skating Festival at Harbourfront Centre Sharpen your skates and spend time on the ice during this two-day event. Glide hand in hand during a family skate, watch mesmerizing performances and then warm up with hot cocoa and crafts.
235 Queens Quay W., Toronto.
Admission: Free
Family Day Festival The bustling east end neighbourhood of Cabbagetown hosts this outdoor event. Be on the lookout for buskers, skating, carriage rides and tasty food.
Parliament St. between Gerrard St. and Wellesley St., Toronto.
Admission: Free
TIFF Next Wave Film Festival This film fest for tweens and teens, running February 14 and 15, showcases movies from around the world and offers interactive workshops and a 24-hour film challenge (additional cost).
350 King St. W., Toronto.
Admission: Adults $13; students and seniors $10; children 13 and under $9; Workshops and film challenges cost extra.
Anansi the Spider at Solar Stage February is Black History Month, and Little Red Theatre’s version of the African folk tale about a spider that looks like a man is both educational and entertaining. Productions take place February 14 and 15 at 11AM and 2PM.
4950 Yonge St., Toronto.
Admission: $16 per person
Family Ice Fishing Event at the Wellington Street Sportsmen’s Club Bundle up for an adventurous day of ice fishing on a one-acre pond. All levels of experience are welcome at the second annual event. A limited amount of fishing gear is available for use.
2290 Slo Pitch Rd., Dorchester.
Admission: Free
Winterlude The final day of Ottawa’s Winterlude lands on Family Day and includes tons of family-friendly fun. Enjoy public skating at various locations (including the Rideau Canal, of course), see snow sculptures, take a ride down Snowflake Kingdom’s Super Slides, and more. Kids six and under will love the pint-sized city made just for them, which includes kiddie cars and road signs at the Giant 3D Little Car Course, and kids of all ages will have a blast at the Kiddie Zone at Jacques Cartier Park.
Various locations around Ottawa.
Admission: Varies by activity
MARITIME PROVINCES Many event listings aren't up just yet, so be sure to ask your local libraries or museums about any fun events that might be happening closer to the date.
Did we miss an event? Feel free to list any events we may have missed in the comments section, below.
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