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Outdoor winter festivals and activities are a great way to embrace this frosty season. Both are full of interactive movements that can help keep you warm in the cold. In the first few minutes, it is easy to stay warm, but as the wind, picks up and the temperature drops, your body will start to feel the chill.
Quick Tips: Use the bathroom before you go outside and take washroom breaks while you are out to warm up. Before you leave the comfort of your house scout out nearby indoor washrooms. A café is a great bathroom break and bonus, you get a hot drink to warm up your hands!
We loved checking out Edmonton festivals when we used to live there and would invite our friends along to join in on the fun. We are still partaking in winter festivals and activities now that we are living in Saint John, New Brunswick. Over the years we have introduced many of our friends to their first winter festival experience in temperatures ranging from plus 5 to minus 25 Celsius. Along the way, I have discovered that both my International and Canadian friends are not always completely familiar with how to bundle up for a cold night of fun. I have many stories of them showing up in high heel boots (“Lea, you said wear boots”) or sporting sneakers for trucking through two feet of snow.
Do you live in Edmonton? Find outdoor fun here! See my post, “Five Edmonton Winter Events I Love!“
I get it, we do not fit into our childhood snowsuits anymore. Besides that, between car starters and heated seats, how much time do we really spend outside on a weekly basis? When I first started attending winter festivals, I thought I was winter-ready, but with winter temperatures dipping lower every year my old winter jacket was more suited for fall. After a few years, I am now fully winter-ready and want you to be too! Winter festivals are fantastic and worth exploring for more than 20 minutes. Let’s get back to winter basics and enjoy the great cold outdoors!
Jacket
Yes, choose a jacket for the temperature but also layer up underneath (layers can always be removed if too warm). If you get cold easily and you plan to do many outside activities, I would suggest a heated jacket.
Tip: If you are cold and your jacket is not zipped up, might I suggest zipping it? (lol this is from a real-life example)
Neck
Adding a scarf to your outfit not only looks fashionable but it keeps the warmth from escaping your body. On especially windy days, it is perfect for covering your face. (I have gone to festivals in minus 30, between my hat and my scarf all you could see was my eyes, but man I was warm!)
Heat your Head
This can be as easy as putting up your hood, bringing a toque, or wearing an artic style hat.
Hands
I always find this area tricky. Normally between wanting to check my phone and pick things up, I cannot decide what to wear on my fingers. Once my fingers get even just a bit cold they go numb and unbearable. Owning an assortment of fingerless gloves, gloves with cell phone compatible tips, heat activated gloves, and mitts is a great start. I have also stuffed my pockets with heat packs.
Legs / calves
Jeans are great for the cold because they are thick. Again layering up is important, try adding leggings underneath or long johns (Mark’s Work Warehouse has heat-activated ones). For added warmth, I sometimes wear leg warmers as well.
Feet
My feet are the other area I struggle with as once they are cold, they turn white and there is nothing I can do. I own two sets of boots, one rated for minus 20 and another for minus 30 boots, and heat activated socks. Online, I have also seen heated insoles, which I am tempted to purchase.
Examples – My go-to outfits based on the temperature in Celsius
I will show you four simple examples of how I prepare for the weather. These are just where I start, as always layer up or remove layers as necessary depending on how long you are staying outside.
+5 and above (41 Fahrenheit and above)
Light jacket with hood, light gloves (hidden in my pockets for when I need them), light scarf, jeans, and regular winter boots (my minus 20 boots are my go-to)
+4 to -7 (39.2 to 19.4 Fahrenheit)
Minus 30 jacket, toque hidden in my pocket, gloves, scarf, jeans, and minus 20 boots.
Optional layering depends on the wind chill: Sweater and leggings under jeans.
-8 to -16 (17.6 to 3.2 Fahrenheit)
Minus 30 jacket, sweater, toque, heat activated gloves, thick scarf, jeans, minus 20 boots, and heat activated socks.
Optional layering depends on the wind chill: arctic hat, mittens, leggings underneath my jeans, and leg warmers.
-17 and colder (1.4 Fahrenheit and colder)
My minus 30 jacket, sweater, arctic hat, mittens, thick scarf, jeans, long johns, minus 30 boots, heat activated socks, and leg warmers.
Optional layering depends on wind chill: heated jacket (layered under minus 30 jacket), and heat packs in pockets.
How do you keep warm outside during the winter? Share your tips and tricks by tweeting me here or commenting below.
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