On February weekends check out Winterlude in Canada's capital, Ottawa (T:(613) 239.5000) an easy ninety-minute drive from Montreal.

The Quebec Winter Carnival runs from January 30th until February 17th this year but the best events take place on the weekends. The craziest one is the annual Crashed Ice Race through the streets of Old Town, Q.C. on January 24th.

Related Reading:
Ottawa Pictures
Quebec Winter Carnival 2009
Quebec City Crashed Ice Event

Photo: Student Ice Sculptures courtesy of Quebec Winter Carnival

If you plan to be in Montreal for VD, better make restaurant reservations asap. This most romantic of Canadian cities, second only to Quebec City, takes the celebration of love very seriously. Combine that with a population that loves to go out and you know you better start making some phone calls soon.

This year the official day of Chinese New Year is January 26th but celebrations happen before the actual date.

Out on the West Island, the Chinese Cultural Centre is hosting a show starting at 2 p.m. with both traditional performances and a visit from the local youth symphony.

Downtown at Place des Arts more than 100 professional performers usher in the new year from January 16-18th.

Related reading:
Montreal Chinese New Year Events
Montreal's Place des Arts

If you think that nutty Quebec Winter Carnival canoe race across the frozen St. Lawrence River is dangerous you ain't seen nothing yet.

Every year (January 24th in 2009) 120 men and women race down a steep ice track complete with sharp turns and jumps to see who can be the first to arrive alive at the end of the 600-yard run through Old Quebec City. All this to the roars of 80,000 + bloodthirsty fans. Cold temperatures make people do strange things.