Residents in Timmins, Ontario, got a sneak peek at the 2026 Cochrane Winter Carnival this week when organizers visited Timmins Square Shopping Centre to invite families to the festival. The 10-day event officially begins today, February 6, and runs through Sunday, Feb. 15, featuring dozens of activities — more than 35 different events ranging from outdoor games to community feasts.
Known as the oldest winter festival in Ontario, the carnival includes traditional favourites such as the Polar Bear Dip at Lake Commando. Families can also watch the demolition derby — scheduled for the final day of the carnival — and attend the long-running Miss Chimo pageant.
Organizers say volunteers visited Timmins to hand out schedules and invite local families to the festival as part of a regional promotional push. This year’s carnival is part of a “Chimo Comeback” effort to restore the event to its historic size and scale.
Tourism materials and the carnival’s own history note the festival has been a regional tradition since 1934. Other activities planned for the week include the bushwhacker challenge and various lake-based carnival games and contests.
Cochrane is about a 1 hour 20 minute drive north of Timmins (roughly 100–110 km by road), making the carnival a possible day-trip for area families, according to travel estimates. Organizers said their promotional team held a two-day outreach at Timmins Square on Feb. 4–5 to hand out event information and answer questions.
