What are you doing this Sunday? Winter FunDays 2026

If you’ve ever stared out the window in February wondering what people even do in the winter, Thunder Bay has an answer, and it involves dog sleds, snow art, hot chocolate, and not paying a single dollar to be there.

Winter in Thunder Bay isn’t just something to get through, it’s something to fully lean into… and Winter FunDays 2026 is your invite to bundle up, head to the waterfront, and enjoy winter exactly where it belongs—outside, together, at one of the city’s most iconic spots. Taking place every Sunday until March 15th, Winter FunDays brings the community to Marina Park and the Baggage Building Arts Centre from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Quiet winter Sundays? Not anymore.

Winter in Northwestern Ontario can feel long (and sometimes a little isolating), but according to Brayden Cassidy, the City of Thunder Bay’s Community Program Developer, that’s exactly why Winter FunDays exist. “Winter is a time that can be sort of isolating to people… Winter FunDays gives people something once a week on Sundays to get out, try something new, and once they’ve done that, they can even warm up inside.”

In other words, get outside, enjoy the cold while it lasts, try something you might not normally do, then head in to thaw out. Very Thunder Bay! Activities change week to week, which means there’s always something new to check out. You might find yourself dog sledding with Boreal Journeys (yes, actually), testing out fat tire biking with Community Spokes (new this year), making Bannock, or wrapping things up with a St. Patrick’s Day BBQ in March.

The setting doesn’t hurt either. Sitting right on Lake Superior with the Sleepy G in the background, it’s a reminder that winter here also comes with some super pretty views. The Port Arthur’s Landing Skating Rink is also buzzing most Sundays, with families lacing up and making a full afternoon of it. Then when the cold starts to creep in, everyone is welcome to head inside the Baggage Building Arts Centre for hands on arts and crafts led by the Community Arts and Heritage Education Project (CAHEP). Everything from clay creations, puppet making, jewelry, art remix projects, and lots of chances for kids (and adults) to get creative. Plus, there’s free hot chocolate, which feels like a non-negotiable at any winter event in the city.

One of the standout activities this year is Snow Art, also led by CAHEP. Participants will get to use food dyes to create a colourful, graffiti style community mosaic on a snow block. The finished piece stays on display during SnowDay on the Waterfront, so you can casually point it out later and say, ‘yeah, I helped make that’.

Insider tip: Winter FunDays also gives you a sneak peek of the snow sculptures at Snow Day on the Waterfront, happening on Family Day, February 16th, 2026.

Attendance at Winter FunDays usually ranges from 75 to 300 people each week, depending on the weather and activities. It’s busy enough to feel lively, but never overwhelming (which is really nice)— the kind of crowd that makes the park feel alive, but still easy to navigate with kids, strollers, or skates in hand.

So if you’re a parent looking for an easy Sunday tradition, or just trying to make winter feel like more than a countdown to spring, Winter FunDays makes it simple to get outside and enjoy the season together. It’s also one of those things that reminds you why Thunder Bay is a pretty great place to live.