Winter Carnival | Community

Activities and events from our community partners and businesses are filling up our schedule for Feb 11 - 15, 2021. Our festival is packed with fun, active, healthy activities for the whole family to enjoy! Click the image above to go to our Winter Carnival Event page on Facebook. View our schedule of events here.

Chopped, Family Night Edition

Compete as a family to vie for Chopped Family Night Champion! Work together to create your best culinary dish using three mystery ingredients.

Judging will be based on photos submitted on Instagram or Facebook using #ChoppedAmherst or by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Points will be awarded based on the creativity, presentation and best use of the mystery ingredients.
The mystery basket ingredients will be revealed Feb. 11 on the Amherst Recreation Facebook page and at www.amherst.ca/winter-carnival.html.
Deadline to submit your photo is Feb. 15.

Prizes

1st Place, $150 Grocery Gift Card
2nd Place, $75 Grocery Gift Card
3rd Place, $50 Grocery Gift Card

Mystery Basket Items!

Basket #1: Noodles, salad greens and a fruit.

Basket #2: Slice of Bread, an egg and a vegetable

Choose basket #1 or basket #2. You must use all ingredients in whichever basket you choose. Have fun and good luck!

Winter Carnival Photo Contest

Warm up your camera! Enter your best winter snapshots in the Amherst Winter Carnival photo contest!

You have until Feb. 15 to submit your photo on Instagram or Facebook using #2021AmherstWC or by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. When using social media to enter, please ensure your privacy settings allow us to see your photo.

Grand Prize

Photography class from Focal Point
Professionally framed print of your photo
Photo feature on the Town of Amherst website

Prize awarded by and contest winner chosen by Focal Point.

SnowSculpture WC

Snow Sculpture Contest

Build a snow creation like a snow castle, fort or snowperson for your chance to win Best in Snow!

Prizes

Bragging rights to the Best in Snow title for Amherst Winter Carnival 2021!
Three sculptures will be chosen to win a winter prize package!
The three winning photos will be featured in our 2022 Winter Carnival promotional materials.

Chili Days!

It's getting chili! The weather forecast - hotter than ever!

For five days only we are celebrating the hottest food in town with Amherst Winter Carnival Chili Days! We've got the best chefs in town cooking up a selection of spicy specials that'll make your taste buds tingle!

Participating Amherst restaurant are Savoie Kitchen, B Ready, Starlite, Bliss, Our Backyard BBQ and Art of Eating Deli. Each restaurant special will be featured on the Amherst Loves You Back Facebook page! Be sure to give the page a "like" to keep up to date on all the businesses in Amherst.

Outdoor Adventure Scavenger Hunt

Can you reveal the secret location?

How to Play: Download then print a copy of the icons or save as a photo to your mobile device.

Search these Amherst locations - Dickey Park, Amherst Lions Park, Rotary Centennial Park, and the Marsh trail - for pink cards displaying the icons. Each pink card contains an icon and a code. Jot the code down. The codes, placed in the order of the icons, will reveal the co-ordinates of a secret location in the Town of Amherst. Using an internet search engine, input the co-ordinates to find the secret location.

Email the secret location to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or drop off a printed copy to Amherst Town Hall by Feb. 16, 2021, for the chance to win a prize!

Grand Prize, chosen by random draw from all entries received, is a pair of Snowshoes!

Themed Skating Parties!

Join us at the Amherst Stadium for a Family Skating Party featuring dance tunes and a light show or for a Glow-in-the-dark Skating Party with party music and glow sticks! You could win a prize. For more information and to pre-register, please call 902-667-6500. GlowSkateParty SkatingParty WC

Chili Challenge, Virtual Edition

Vote for your favourite chili made by local “celebrities” as they vie for bragging rights to the best chili in Amherst!

This year your votes will be Facebook likes. Challengers will attempt to impress you through photos, video and maybe even their secret recipe! When voting, please consider creativity, photo or video and presentation. The 7th Annual Chili Challenge Champion will be determined by combining two elements, the number of Facebook likes and a taste test being performed by three judges. Each element is worth 50% of the total vote.

Chili Challenge submissions will be posted to the Amherst Recreation Facebook page at 11 a.m. on Feb. 13! Voting closes at midnight on Feb.15 and the winner will be announced Feb. 16.

National Flag of Canada Day

At the stroke of noon on February 15, 1965, Canada’s red and white maple leaf flag was raised for the very first time on Parliament Hill. On the same day in 1996, National Flag of Canada Day was declared.

Celebrating its 56th anniversary this year, the national flag is a symbol that unites all Canadians and reflects the common values we hold so dear — equality,
diversity and inclusion.

On February 15, let’s celebrate the Canadian flag in communities across the country, including right here in Amherst! Take the photo challenge! Be a part of National Flag of Canada Day. Take a selfie with the flag and share it using #CanadianFlag and #AmherstNS.

The Canadian flag flies over Town-operated sites located at Victoria Square, the Community Credit Union Business Innovation Centre and the YMCA.

Flag Day Fun Packs will be delivered to local elementary schools which include a colouring page, paper flag, pin and temporary tattoo. A limited number of these fun packs will also be available at Amherst Town Hall, 8-12 Feb. from 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Mystery Tree ID Excursion - Cancelled due to low registration

Do you call all evergreens pines? Can you tell a birch from a maple? Explore Amherst on a walking tour with Town Horticulturist Chelsea Baird and learn how to identify the trees that beautify our town.

Meeting time is 12 p.m. @ Dickey Park on Feb. 12. Don't forget to dress for the weather!

Space is limited. Please pre-register by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amherst to Amherst Walking Challenge

Have you heard? We are in a competition against Amherst N.Y,. and Amherst N.H., to walk the most steps during the month of February! Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. your step count to be added to our total as we walk our way to Amherst, TX,. Which town will walk the furthest?

Visit our Facebook event page for all the details, https://fb.me/e/eTXLBw6E1

We are getting international buzz!

Live, Interactive Musician Show via Zoom

This virtual magic show includes dazzling tricks and fun interaction with a professional magician. You even get to help with the tricks! Fun for kids and adults!

Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for the Zoom link to join in on the fun!

Live show is Feb. 13 at 2 p.m.

Live, Interactive Science Show

This show includes interactive science experiments! Children perform experiments in their own homes using common household objects, such as a cup of water, a tea towel and a plastic container. Fun for kids and adults!

Please make sure the children have the following items ready so they can join in the show:

An empty soda can
Jug/cup of water
Balloon
Pepper in a pepper grinder
Rice crispies
Tea towel/table cloth
Plastic bowls/tupperware
Tissue to mop up any spills

Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for the Zoom link to join in on the fun!

Live show is Feb. 14 at 2 p.m.

Winter Carnival Skates

Adult/Senior Skate, Feb. 11 and 12 from 12:30 - 1:30 p.m.

Family Skate, Feb. 11 and 12 from 1:30 - 3:30 p.m.

You must pre-register in advance by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by calling 902-667-6500. Helmets and skates are available on a first come, first serve basis.

My Winter Adventure in Amherst

Just for fun! A choose your own adventure ebook!

Who Wants To Be A Prizer Winner?

Test your skills with this Amherst Trivia Game

Your chance to win an Amherst-opoly board game, an 'A' hat and mittens!

Email your high score to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with "Millionaire" in the subject line to enter.

Have fun!

FREE Watercolour Painting Class

We have an addition to our Winter Carnival schedule! A FREE watercolour painting class with local artist, Benjaminart9! Proudly hosted by Bendi’s Arts and Crafts Supplies as a Facebook Live event at 3 p.m. on Feb. 15. All materials required for the watercolour are available for purchase at Bendi's.

Crow with Heart, required materials:

Watercolour Paints:
• Intense Phthalo Blue
• Raw Sienna
• Paynes Gray
• Alizarin Crimson Hue
Other materials:
• Kneaded Eraser
• No. 4 (or similar size round brush)
• 3/4” or 1/2” wash brush
• No. 6 flat brush (or similar)
• Paper towel
• 1 sheet 140 lb. watercolour paper
• Cup of water
• Painters Tape