Students brought the spirit of the Québec Winter Carnival (Carnaval de Québec) to Bayridge Elementary last week during a three-day celebration that saw six classes recreate festivities associated with the biggest winter carnival in the world.
French teacher Yasmin Yalpani said students – who have been learning about Québec City event since January – participated in simulations of winter activities, such as a snowshoe race that saw children wearing shoeboxes on their feet and a canoe race that involved origami canoes being pulled with straws.
A dress-up relay with winter clothes, traditional folk dance and crazy moustache and beard contest were just a couple of the other features of the event, held March 14-16 in the South Surrey school’s gym.
Students were split into teams and tasked with creating an “identity” – including a name, cheer, poster and colour – and were served crepes and hot chocolate.
They also received a visit from a teacher dressed up as the carnival’s ambassador, Bonhomme Carnaval.
Yalpani said 16 community sponsors donated prizes, and monetary donations allowed the school to purchase authentic Carnaval de Québec merchandise, such as toques, stickers and trumpets.
“The kids were just really psyched,” she said, noting Grade 8 Semiahmoo Secondary students helped pull everything off. “It was really fantastic.”