ICE IN THE BAY
Fractured pack ice edges the bay Friday afternoon with steel mills and the Niagara Escarpment rising along the horizon. The Family Day long weekend is ahead and our forecast is for low temperatures. We’re sure to have this ice in the bay for some time to come.
You have an extra day this weekend and to help you celebrate Family Day, we have rounded up some fun things to do in the Hamilton area.
Kids-Fest
Hamilton Kids-Fest, Canada’s largest indoor inflatable festival, returns for Family Day weekend. Blown up and ready for play will be some of North America’s largest indoor inflatable rides. There are also shows, interactive activities, booths, games, crafts, character meet-and-greets and full access to the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum. Admission is $25 (including tax) for kids and $10 for adults. Parking is free. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, Sunday and Monday. kids-fest.ca
Drop a line
Family Day weekend is also Ontario’s License-Free Fishing Days. You can enjoy the fun of fishing without a licence from 12:01 a.m. Saturday to 11:59 p.m. Monday. For more information, call Valens Lake at 905-525-2183 or 519-621-6029, email valens@conservationhamilton.ca, call Fifty Point 905-5252187 or email fiftypt@conservationhamilton.ca.
Don’t miss out on the Valens Lake Ice Fishing Derby on Saturday from sunrise to 1 p.m. Prizes for adults and children. Entry fee is $25 for adults and $15 for children. 905525-2183
Winterfest
It’s the last weekend for Hamilton’s Winterfest.
Daily — Explore the Light Tunnel, a 100-foot light tunnel at the corner of James and Jackson streets which begins at 5 p.m. daily throughout February. Check out the Waterfront Festival of Lights at Pier 8. Over 40 lighting displays are adjacent to the Waterfront Outdoor Ice Skating Rink, 47 Discovery Dr. Saturday — The Canteen at Battlefield Park and National Historic Site includes live music, air hockey tournament, bookmobile and storytelling, a fire pit, marketplace, food and drink, maple syrup taffy and a kids’ obstacle course. This signature event runs from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Hot Chocolate in the Park is at the gazebo in Carter Park, 32 Stinson St., from 2-3 p.m.; Winterfest Circus Theatre is at the Cotton Factory from 5-6 p.m. and 7:308:30 p.m.; Winter Green Screen is your chance to play winter sports without getting cold at 228 James St. N. from noon to 4 p.m. Monday — Rogers Winteractive grand finale is at the Bulldogs. Air hockey tournament winners from across the festival will face off for a chance at the grand prize, starts at 2 p.m.; Dundas Rotary Winter Carnival features skating, horsedrawn sleigh rides around the park, live entertainment, music and free hot chocolate all at Dundas Driving Park from noon to 4 p.m.
Free skating events include: Saturday — Dave Andreychuk arena, 25 Hester St., from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. And Monday — Lawfield arena, 150 Folkstone Ave., from noon to 1 p.m.; Morgan Firestone Arena, 385 Jerseyville Rd. W., Ancaster from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Outdoor skating is available daily at Pier 8 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., 47 Discovery Dr.
Family fun day
Trains, trains and more trains at the Hamilton Museum of Steam and Technology, 900 Woodward Ave., Monday from noon to 4 p.m. Children must be accompanied by an adult. For information, call 905546-4797 or visit hamilton.ca/steammuseum. Dundurn National Historic Site offers guided tours of over 40 rooms in Dundurn Castle at 610 York Blvd. hamilton.ca/dundurn Hamilton Children’s Museum is celebrating Family Day with games, crafts and activities from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday. 1072 Main St. E. hamilton.ca/childrensmuseum Whitehern Historic House and Garden, 41 Jackson St. W., is showing short comedy films like “The Little Rascals” and “Three Stooges.” Admission is $7.50. Event is from noon to 4 p.m. hamilton.ca/whitehern
Bronte Creek Provincial Park
Spend Family Day at Bronte Creek. Visit the Nature Centre for live animals, hands-on activities and crafts. Other park attractions include a toboggan hill, the Children’s Playbarn, farm animals, a tobogganing hill and trails. The park is open at 8 a.m. Saturday, Sunday and Monday. The daily vehicle admission rate is $20. The park’s day-use area is one kilometre north of the QEW on Burloak Drive.
Public library
Hamilton Public Library, Central and Turner Park branches, are open Monday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., with Family Day activities. Events include Lunar New Year crafts, storytelling, Mr. Chris and the Gassy Bubbles, and Lego Mania.
Open and closed Monday
There is no green bin, blue box or garbage pickup Monday in Hamilton and Halton. Pickups will be one day later than usual. Community recycling centres and transfer stations are also closed.
The HSR and Burlington Transit will operate on a Sunday/holiday schedule. Call 905-527-4441 for more information, or 905-6390550 and burlingtontransit.ca for Burlington.
DARTS will operate on a holiday schedule.
GO trains and buses will operate on a Saturday schedule for Family Day. Bank branches, LCBO, beer stores and retailers are closed.
Most grocery stores are closed. Shopping malls such as Mapleview and CF Lime Ridge are closed. Most Hamilton Public Library branches are closed.
All Burlington Public Library branches are closed.
Federal offices and Canada Post are open.
City offices are closed.
Compiled by Jennifer Moore, The Hamilton Spectator