What’s Happening Family Day Long Weekend!

Family Day is almost here! If you’re looking for something to do, you’re in luck! Barrie and the surrounding area are home to a number of activities to celebrate the occasion, with many of them being free of charge.

In fact, there are so many things to do on Family Day, you may struggle to choose what activities to add to your list.

Before we jump, here are the services that will be affected by Family day.

Barrie Services That Will Be Affected By Family Day

Barrie Transit: Transit will be following its regular Sunday schedule. For more information, visit myridebarrie.ca.

Curbside Collection: There will be no garbage, organics, or recycling collection in Barrie on Family Day. Garbage collection for the rest of the week will be delayed by one day. For more information, visit www.barrie.ca/CurbsideCollection.

City Hall will be closed.

Parking: Downtown parking, including on-street and lot parking, is free on Family Day and all other statutory holidays. Waterfront parking is enforced every day of the year and residents must display their permits. Visitors must pay $10 per hour, with a daily maximum of $50. For more details, please refer to www.barrie.ca/Parking.

RELATED: What’s open and closed on Family Day …

Family Day Activities

There are lots of great family day activities happening in Barrie and the surrounding towns during Family Day weekend. Here are some highlights …

Activities In Barrie

If you’re looking to stay within the city limits, you have tons of great options:

1. BARRIE’S FAMILY DAY WINTER ADVENTURE

The City of Barrie is organizing a Family Day Winter Adventure event, which is ideal for a family-friendly day out. The event is free, and there are plenty of exciting activities to participate in, including:

• Axe throwing
• Broomball
• Kicksledding
• Horse-drawn sleigh rides
• Skating
• Snowshoeing
• And more …

The event takes place at the Barrie Community Sports Complex from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Family Day.

2. NATURE IN WINTER POP-UP AT SUNNIDALE PARK

The Nature In Winter Pop-Up event at Sunnidale Park runs from February 17th to 20th. The event offers a self-guided tour with QR-coded videos and information from the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority.

The Great Backyard Bird Count will also take place at the designated feeder station located on the path behind the Dorian Parker Centre.

3. ACTIVITIES AT BARRIE RECREATION CENTRES

Drop-in activities at Allendale Recreation Centre, East Bayfield Recreation Centre, and Peggy Hill Team Community Centre start from 6 AM to 9 PM on February 20th.

Activities include fitness classes, public skates, open swims, and hockey, providing a great way to stay active and engaged with others. You can view the schedule for the day by visiting barrie.ca.

4. FREE PAINTBALL AT BARRIE PAINTBALL

Barrie Paintball is offering free paintballing on Family Day. The event is from 11 AM to 5 PM. Both entry and equipment are free, except for paint.

Paint is available at a discounted price of $120 for a case of 2000 (regularly $160). Visitors are encouraged to arrive early to avoid waiting times.

5. CELEBRATION OF DIVERSITY AT MACLAREN ART CENTRE

The MacLaren Art Centre is hosting a Celebration of Diversity on Family Day. The event is split into two events, with the first taking place at the MacLaren from 10 AM to 1 PM. Visitors will be able to tour the current exhibitions and participate in a printmaking class led by Kim Brett.

The second part of the event will be held at Shak’s World Community Centre from 12 PM to 3:30 PM. Families will join in on an art project followed by live entertainment.

RELATED: Support Shak’s World by grabbing a pink shirt and wearing it February 22 …

6. HOT COCOA TRAIL IN DOWNTOWN BARRIE

Celebrate Family Day weekend with the Downtown Hot Cocoa Trail from February 18th to 19th. Enjoy a cup of hot chocolate at over 25 locations, each with its unique twist on the classic treat. Plus, with every purchase, you’ll have a chance to win a $250 Downtown Barrie prize pack.

Events Happening Outside Of Barrie

Here is a list of events happening throughout Simcoe County if you’re up for a short drive …

2. FREE FISHING EVERYWHERE

Ontario is offering a rare chance to fish without a license this weekend. You can fish for free, but you will still need to follow specific rules. This includes catch limits, size limits, staying away from protected areas, and other fishing regulations.

You can borrow fishing equipment from the TackleShare program available through the Barrie Public Library or other loaner sites.

2. FAMILY DAY AT HORSESHOE VALLEY

Join Horseshoe Valley. for a fun-filled Family Day celebration. From February 17 to 19, take a magical moonlit snowshoe adventure that includes snowshoe rentals, headlamps, and warm beverages by the fire. The tours depart at 7 PM and 8 PM from the Main Chalet’s Alpine Rental Centre.

On February 18, families can enjoy a thrilling night of glow tubing with glow sticks being given out for free with tubing passes.

To wrap up the weekend, enjoy the lively Family Day Live On The DJ Deck event on Monday, February 20 from 12 PM to 7 PM with Andrew Hutt.

2. FAMILY DAY AT SIMCOE COUNTY MUSEUM

Take a trip to the Simcoe County Museum this Family Day with over 300 acres of outdoor adventure. Activities include snowshoeing, tobogganing, and ice skating on the 1 km skating trail.

Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for youth and seniors, and $5 for children. Free admission is provided for preschoolers and museum members. The event includes all activities for the day, with free snowshoe rentals. You will need to bring your own skates, helmets, skate assists, and toboggans.

2. FRIDAY HARBOUR SKATE ESCAPE

For a thrilling Family Day experience, head to Friday Harbour for Skate Escape. Enjoy ice skating in the Piazza, live music performances, and the pay-per-use Skate Trail.

After your outdoor activities, head to the cozy chalets for a treat or enjoy a warm cup of hot chocolate and signature cocktails in the warming lounges.

2. SNOWMAN MANIA

From February 17 to 20, Wasaga Beach will be hosting Snowman Mania. The festival grew from a simple snow-building competition and now offers a variety of events and activities for all ages.

Enjoy fire-spinning performances, mesmerizing fireworks, an inflatable maze, kicksledding, axe throwing, magic shows, cozying up with a cup of hot chocolate in an igloo and so much more!