Slipping and sliding out of ski season as Slush Cup takes over Sunshine Village
May long weekend not only signals the start of the gardening and camping season -- it's also the end of the ski season.
The 93rd annual Slush Cup took over Sunshine Village on Monday, with thousands of people gathering for one last hurrah for winter.
One hundred participants threw on their best costumes and tested their luck slipping and sliding down the snow to the water, skimming across the 110-foot pond.
"It's electric. This day has a way of evaporating the rain and the bad weather. It has smiles on the faces, there's people dressed like fools," said Kendra Scurfield, brand and communications director for Sunshine Village.
One of those costumes? A wedding dress.
Annie Nielson spent her bachelorette party in Banff and decided to break out the dress two weeks early.
"Slush Cup's all about costumes, and what's more epic than a wedding dress? It was a great idea. I thought it would be super fun, but then as soon as I got up there, I thought, I don't know, I might drown in the pool," Nielson said.
The goal is to make it to the end of the pool to the snow on the other side.
The winners take home $2,000 in prizes, a season's pass, bragging rights and, for some, battle wounds.
"Yeah, I took one of those floppy fish to the face, so I had to dodge some things this year. I have been coming up here every year I can, and Slush Cup is, like, one of the best days of the year," said Zach Belczyk.
The event normally draws about 5,000 people, but some off-and-on rain made for a smaller crowd.
Still, about 3,500 people attended the event, which marks the final day of the ski season.
The tradition dates back to 1928, and for many, it's the marquee event of the season.
"It became this campy year-end tradition that we've held ever since. It started as a staff party, and it's morphed into a public party where people come from all over the country." Scurfield said.
But some are just not ready to call it a season.
"It was really cold getting in there, but it was a lot of fun. Very chilly. Going to hop in the hot tub now," said Steven Bouliane.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What is flagpoling? A new ban on the practice is starting to take effect
Immigration measures announced as part of Canada's border response to president-elect Donald Trump's 25 per cent tariff threat are starting to be implemented, beginning with a ban on what's known as 'flagpoling.'
Hong Kong police issue arrest warrants and bounties for six activists including two Canadians
Hong Kong police on Tuesday announced a fresh round of arrest warrants for six activists based overseas, with bounties set at $1 million Hong Kong dollars for information leading to their arrests.
Stunning photos show lava erupting from Hawaii's Kilauea volcano
One of the world's most active volcanoes spewed lava into the air for a second straight day on Tuesday.
Indigenous family faced discrimination in North Bay, Ont., when they were kicked off transit bus
Ontario's Human Rights Tribunal has awarded members of an Indigenous family in North Bay $15,000 each after it ruled they were victims of discrimination.
Heavy travel day starts with brief grounding of all American Airlines flights
American Airlines briefly grounded flights nationwide Tuesday because of a technical problem just as the Christmas travel season kicked into overdrive and winter weather threatened more potential problems for those planning to fly or drive.
OPP and Ottawa firefighters help remove vehicle wedged into Highway 417 overpass
Ottawa firefighters and local Ontario Provincial Police officers were called to a bizarre scene Tuesday morning along Highway 417, where a driver managed to wedge his vehicle under an overpass.
On Christmas Eve, Pope Francis appeals for courage to better the world
Pope Francis said the story of Jesus' birth as a poor carpenter's son should instill hope that all people can make an impact on the world, as the pontiff on Tuesday led the world's Roman Catholics into Christmas.
Read Trudeau's Christmas message
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued his Christmas message on Tuesday. Here is his message in full.
Ontario First Nation challenging selection of underground nuclear waste site in court
A First Nation in northern Ontario is challenging the selection of a nearby region as the site of a deep geological repository that will hold Canada's nuclear waste, arguing in a court filing that it should have had a say in the matter as the site falls "squarely" within its territory.