Call for events

Victoria County Winter Activefest seeking community activities

An initiative aimed at promoting winter activities in Victoria County is seeking community organizers for its 2018 edition.

Organizers of the Victoria County Winter Activefest are looking for community, nonprofit and facility operators to host events as part of the seventh annual festival, which takes place across the municipality.

Vince Forrestall, physical activity co-ordinator for Victoria County, said there is no criteria for events.

“The events can feature anything from ceilidhs, square dancing, luncheons, snowshoeing, downhill and cross-country skiing — we want to hear from everybody to make this a county-wide event,” he said.

Along with the winter activefest each year, the municipality also holds an annual event titled Fall Harvest Activefest — a similar event to the winter activefest, held each year in October. “It’s something that grows each year — it’s sort of like its own machine, it’s snowballing that people just expect now,” said Forrestall.

Forrestall believes the event, which started in 2012, helps draw tourists to Victoria County during the tourism offseason.

“The Cabot Trail is just as magical in the winter as any other season,” said Forrestall. “We get ACOA (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency) funding and that allows us to promote and try to attract people from outside of Victoria County to Cape Breton Island.”

As part of the program, the municipality does provide winter activefest funding assistance for non-profit groups that wish to host an event.

The deadline to apply for funding assistance is Jan. 19.

To register a winter activity, contact Forrestall at 902-2953661 or email naturallyactiveforlife@countyvictoria.ns.ca.