Coronavirus: Riverview winter carnival gets creative amid COVID-19

The town of Riverview, N.B., has had to overhaul its winter carnival plans amid COVID-19, but has come up with a safe way to add a little magic to their festivities.

With typical large gatherings on skating rinks and sliding hills off the table amid the red phase of the pandemic, Cathy Donaldson said the festival’s planning staff had to think out of the box.

“To find some creative ways even with the pandemic to allow people to get out and be active and have some fun,” she said.

Riverview’s carnival starts on Friday and runs until Feb. 14, said Donaldson, with, “a variety of COVID-safe activities on tap for all ages.”

She said the town has joined forces with Ontario snow sculptor Matt Morris to launch a snow sculpting challenge that people can do safely from their own backyards.

“Get outside and have fun and participate in a community event, even if we are all a little distanced,” said Charles MacDougall who is a Riverview Community Recreation Worker.

MacDougall said the town is handing out at-home snow-sculpting kits and is asking people to carve their own creations and submit pictures to the town.

People are being encouraged to watch Morris’ tutorial videos online to learn how to sculpt Gnomes and various other fun sculptures.

Morris, who lives in Waterloo, Ont., said he started a virtual snow-sculpting club last fall hoping to give kids something to do amid the pandemic.

Since then, he said versions of his snow gnomes have been popping up across the country, and Canadians from coast to coast to coast have been calling on his teaching skills.

“Penetanguishene, Ont., up in the Georgian Bay area, has the longest-running festival in Ontario called Winterama and they are using all my videos as well and going after gnomes,” said Morris.

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MacDougall said the town is also encouraging individual families to take part in outdoor carnival activities like snowshoeing while following COVID-19 protocols.

But, he said, they have had to take some of their winter carnival festivities online this year – like providing snowshoeing lessons over zoom and yoga classes and even a bonfire.

“We share your disappointment and I think that it is important that we recognize that this is something that looks different from previous years”

But if families can take the time to build a little magic into their yards, he said the creations are sure to lift the spirits of the entire community.