FIVE REASONS TO GET OFF THE COUCH FOR BARBEGAZI
This time of year, outdoor adventures can fall low on any Montrealer’s New Year’s resolutions list. So as the city greets 2017 with the launch of Hivernales, the first of Montreal’s 375th anniversary gatherings, Quartiers des Spectacles will host the winter action sports festival Barbegazi (a name derived from “barbe glacée” or “frozen beard”), as well as a slew of free, competitive outdoor activities meant to draw people outside for days of sub-zero fun.
“We’re more than happy to welcome anyone of any age or lifestyle,” said Micah Desforges, president and founder of Tribu Expérientiel. “We never reinvent the sports; we put them in a context where it’s funny, and fun, and accessible so that everyone can enjoy what we do.”
Thrill-seekers will have no shortage of choices, while observers can simply relax, eat, drink, and take it all in with friends and family.
“We’re really there to get people out of the house after the Christmas frenzy, and feel good about doing something simple, free of charge, and maybe a little silly,” Desforges said.
Here’s what to expect at Barbegazi, scheduled for the Jan. 6-8 and Jan. 13-15 weekends:
THE OBSTACLE COURSE
Barbegazi dares you to a race through a 49-metre dash under igloos, over ice bridges, and across swinging vines in the face of oversized snowballs and other frigid hazards. Racers can partake as many times as they wish to beat their best time or compete with friends. The 10 best scores over the course of both weekends will share a cash prize of $5,000. (The height requirement to participate is 1.37 metres).
POINTS FOR PRIZES
Accumulate points with a Christmas-tree toss, arm-wrestling challenges, snowskating or woodcutting, and cash them in for prizes ranging from hotpads to bandanas all the way up to an Xbox or a luxury TV. Points are tracked on RFID wristbands, freely provided upon arrival, while live streaming of races and on-site video projections bring a little technology to the arctic atmosphere.
OUTDOOR REFRESHMENTS
It wouldn’t be a Montreal party without food trucks and beverages, from mulled wine and beer for the grownups to cocoa for the kids. Heated bleachers and a warming area will keep things comfy, should temperatures hit true frozen-beard lows.
THE IGLOO
There is a giant igloo with an onsite barbershop. There, the electronic tempos of various Igloofestselected DJs add an extra touch of cool to an already chill ambience.
JUST FOR KIDS For children younger than eight, a scaled-down Barbegazi takes place at the Olympic Park from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 14, and Sunday, Jan. 15, with a strongman, snow skates, fat bikes and more.
For more information on Barbegazi, visit barbegazifest.ca. To find out more about other Hivernales events, visit 375mtl.com