With people bundled from their heads to their toes in warm clothes and snow glittering the busy streets of Québec City, tourists from all over flocked the area. They likely came to savor the taste of excellent food and see the grand display of ice sculptures, performers, toboggan races and the other events at the annual Québec Winter Carnival.

On Friday, Feb. 10, 10 UMPI students and two advisers awoke before 5 a.m. to join the caravan that would take them to Québec. The caravan consisted of a variety of people of all ages from the greater Presque Isle area. It took the members 5 1/2 hours to reach Québec City. They crossed to the city on a ferry.

The UMPI group checked into the hotel and once settled, everybody went to explore. For some it was out in the city; for others, it was within the hotel, which adjoined an Italian restaurant.

The weekend-long adventure gave students a well-deserved break from academics. UMPI junior Christopher Arnold enjoyed spending a little time outside of Aroostook County. “Experiencing the culture difference, the food and the festivity was great,” Arnold said.

On Saturday, the group went out to see the sights of the carnival. It was a long, uphill walk past many charming little shops with souvenirs and unique merchandise. The French architecture of the city was very striking. It seemed to jump right from the pages of a book with a Nouvelle France style adapted in the 17th and 18th centuries.

You could hear the festive carnival music from the speakers that were located around the park long before you saw it. As you’re walking towards the festivities, you’re more than likely to hear the steady clicking of a horse-drawn carriage as it rolls by. Once you enter the carnival, you’re struck by the smells of delicious food such as the traditional French-Canadian food, poutine. Depending on when you stopped by the carnival, you could experience Zumba in nine-degree weather, see a one-of-a-kind parade or even tour a castle made entirely out of ice. You could also stop by the lumberjack area that had several activities such as ace throwing, tubing and mechanical bull riding.

This was Arnold’s second time visiting Québec. One of his favorite events was the parade. “The parade was great because it started with the police and everyone seemed to like them. The next few floats were music and dance groups, which were fantastic and the last few were for more of the carnival symbols like animals and other symbols of winter.”

Samantha Bonczyk, UMPI junior, thought the trip was an excellent opportunity. It was her first time and she loved the adventure and the architecture of all the buildings. “I wanted to go try a new adventure and have some fun away from campus,” Bonczyk said.

To make this trip possible, the Student Activities Office and the UMPI Outing Club team up each year to give students an opportunity to get off campus and explore the world a little. Despite the cold, wintry weather the students experienced on the trip, they had a chance to attend the carnival, go shopping, try new foods and experience a little slice of the magic in Québec City.

For more information about future trips, drop by the Student Activities Office or contact the UMPI Outing Club by emailing amanda.g.baker@maine.edu.