The annual Bracebridge Fire & Ice Festival continues to serve as a key driver for local commerce, offering small businesses a platform to connect with thousands of winter visitors. Organized by the Downtown Bracebridge Business Improvement Area, the festival creates opportunities for vendors to showcase their goods alongside the town’s signature winter attractions.
The 2026 edition of the festival, held on January 31, drew approximately 12,000 attendees to the heart of the community. According to festival organizers, 65 per cent of those visitors travelled from outside the Muskoka region, providing a significant boost to the local economy during the winter months. The event originated from a 2014 initiative by the local business group to bolster tourism during the off-season, eventually launching as an annual festival in 2016.
The festival is well-known for transforming the downtown core, most notably with a 200-foot-long snow tubing run down Manitoba Street. This centerpiece attraction is constructed using 75 truckloads of snow and remains a major draw for families and tourists alike. To accommodate the high volume of visitors, the festival layout includes an indoor activity and warming centre at the Bracebridge United Church, where community groups such as Scouts, Girl Guides, Early ON, Pride Muskoka, and the United Church host various activities.
Tracy Larkman, manager of the local business improvement area, describes the gathering as the largest and most epic event of the year for the town. The festival is supported by the Town of Bracebridge through dedicated event tourism grants, and the business association continues to use the event to support its network of over 200 local shops and service providers.
