Beat the blahs with some winter fun in February. (Comstock Complete)

Cross-Canada events for February Events you can't miss for '08

Looking for a way to ban the February blahs? Why not check out some of the special events going on this month, from culinary festivals to Winterlude and Black History Month itineraries?

WINTERLUDE

The National Snow Sculpture Competition, one of the highlights of the 30th edition of Winterlude, gets under way this weekend in the National Capital Region. Thirteen teams of sculptors, representing each Canadian province and territory, will be challenged to depict the Northern themes that resonate in Canadian art.

Winterlude takes place at four official sites in Ottawa and Gatineau on three weekends between Feb. 1-17. Youngsters will enjoy the return of North America's biggest snow playground, Sun Life Snowflake Kingdom -- with its huge snowslides and a giant labyrinth made of snow. And visitors of all ages won't want to miss a chance to skate on the Rideau Canal, the world's largest naturally frozen ice rink.

Add to that an introduction to ice fishing, an outdoor art show best viewed on skates, and igloo-building workshops.

On Friday and Saturday evenings there's entertainment at the American Express Snowbowl, which features Canadian talent from across the country such as April Wine, La Bottine Souriante and Kinnie Starr. They'll be joined on stage by snow queens and dancers as a giant "rigaudon" is performed.

Elsewhere, the Village of Days Gone By will showcase Aboriginal traditions and will pay tribute to the 400th anniversary of Quebec City through snow carvings, performances and encounters with historical characters.

And don't miss the 34-ton ice-carved reproduction of the Menin Gate Memorial in Belgium (in honour of the 90th anniversary of the armistice of World War I) and other ice carvings at Casino du Lac-Leamy Crystal Garden at Confederation Park.

For more on Winterlude, call 1-800-465-1867 or visit canadascapital.gc.ca.

SPECIAL EVENTS MAKE FEBRUARY FUN

Festivalgoers check out ice sculptures during last year's Winterlude in the National Capital Region. The popular event continues on weekends until Feb. 17.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

The black struggle for human rights in the U.S. in the '50s and '60s hasn't been forgotten in Alabama, where landmark buildings and new museums have become destinations for travellers.

Montgomery, which bills itself as the "Birthplace of Civil Rights," is a good place to start. It's home to the Rosa Parks Museum, which tells the story of the 42-year-old seamstress who was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a city bus to whites, and the 381-day-long Montgomery bus boycott. Visitors learn more through the multi-media presentations, period photography and dioramas, and see a vintage municipal bus, featured in the movie The Long Walk Home and now used in the museum to re-enact the famous arrest.

Other sites worth visiting include the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist church. The National Historic Landmark, built in 1833, is the only church where Martin Luther King Jr. served as senior pastor. A large mural depicts the struggles of the movement and landmark moments in King's life. You can also tour the Dexter Parsonage Museum, where King and his wife, Coretta Scott King, lived for five years. The house contains period furniture and a photo of Gandhi, whose teachings were an inspiration to King.

There's a good overview at the Civil Rights Memorial Center, which chronicles important events that occurred in downtown Montgomery during the Civil Rights Movement, as well as the story of 40 martyrs who died between 1954 and 1968.

Along with Montgomery, three other cities -- Birmingham, Selma and Tuskegee -- are part of the Alabama Civil Rights Museum Trail. For more information, call 1-800Alabama or check 800 Alabama.com.

MONTREAL HIGH LIGHTS

"North America's most important gourmet event," is how organizers describe the Montreal High Lights festival. The 9th edition takes place Feb. 21 to March 2 with Toronto as the featured city and Chile -- a major fruit, vegetable and wine producer -- as the featured country.

More than 50 chefs and winemakers from the Old and New World and 47 restaurants are participating at wine and dine experiences and various other special events.

Susur Lee, Toronto's most internationally acclaimed chef, will head a delegation of outstanding Toronto chefs working in tandem with some of the best chefs in Montreal to prepare "exceptional tasting dishes." Each plate will be matched with wine.

Among the participants are Anthony Walsh (Canoe -- paired with Decca77), Lorenzo Loseto (George -- paired with Europea), and Jamie Kennedy (Jamie Kennedy Restaurant/Kitchens -- paired with Le Jolifou).

Other events include free activities at Jean-Talon Market Feb. 23-24 including an agro-tourism journey; Wine and Our Cheeses Tasting; and the Festival of Our Cheese, where visitors can sample more than 50 Quebec cheeses from Feb. 21-23 and Feb. 28-March 1 at Complexe Desjardins' Grande-Place.

For more information, check montrealhighlights.com or call 1-888-477-9955.