Cold winter air, the sound of skates gliding along the ice and joyous applause for a snowy marriage proposal. These were some of the sights and sounds of Fredericton’s Grande Soiree.
The Grande Soiree, hosted by Fredericton Tourism as part of the annual FROSTival, took place on Jan. 20 and featured free winter delicacies, live music and skating on Officers’ Square rink. It also marks the first city event at the newly-renovated Officers’ Square.
“It was just so great to have Officers’ Square back in the downtown and it really does create that community hub where people can come and gather together,” said Megan Fortune, the special events coordinator at Fredericton Tourism.
This year marks the 12th annual FROSTival, which is a staple in the Fredericton community every winter. The city of Fredericton organizes over 100 events ranging from musical performances, to three-course dining experiences and the Grande Soiree, all to bring people together during the coldest and often loneliest months of the year.
“It is kind of a dark time of year, the sun doesn’t come up for very long,” said Fortune. “It was really an effort to get people out in the community. Stimulate community connection, but also the economy as well.”
The event collaborated with local artists and businesses to provide Frederictonians with a well-rounded night of entertainment. Some of the wintry treats included bannock from Jenna’s Nut-Free Dessertery, hot chocolate from Mill Town and classic maple taffy on the snow from local sugarbush Dumfries Maples.
“It was just really nice to see how everybody seemed to be in a good mood and just really, really enjoying the skating and getting out having a nice winter activity,” said Jane Scott, who runs Dumfries Maples with her brother Nathan.
Scott has worked with Dumfries Maples for around 12 years. They often go to winter events such as the Grande Soiree to share their maple taffy with attendees. Scott said nostalgia is a common reaction they receive from the public after eating their taffy, but at the Soiree she had a chance to introduce the treat to new taste buds.
“A lot of people will say that it’s a childhood memory,” she said. “At the Soiree, there were some newcomers to the city … it was their first time having maple taffy and they really seemed to enjoy it … it’s a really nice feeling.”
For Scott, the best part of the event was seeing everyone come together and enjoy themselves.
“It was just absolutely beautiful. They had lights put up everywhere,” she said.”The big Christmas tree in the middle and the lighting and the music in the background. It was really, really great. The weather was beautiful too.”
However, for Shawn Randall, musician and live DJ for the Grande Soiree, the weather was just a bit too cold. Luckily, he had an industrial-sized heater to keep him comfortable on stage while he performed for the skaters.
“I had a pair of gloves but I cut off the fingertips so that I would still be able to play guitar and still be able to DJ using my fingers without having to freeze my whole hand,” said Randall.
Randall performed the entire two-hour event, doing a mix of electronic music and jazz. The Soiree was an atypical gig for Randall, having only done a few gigs in the past, so performing outdoors was a unique experience.
“Some kids were dancing to my music, which was really nice,” he said. “I was basically soundtracking their time out there on the ice and hanging out with their friends … It’s really picturesque.”
As a life-long musician, Randall’s passion for music stems from his family after his parents bought him a guitar and he learned how to play “Smoke on the Water”.
“My mom got out and came to watch me, which is really nice. And she came out and she took some pictures of me,” he said.
Randall’s view of the Grande Soiree from the stage encapsulates the energy of the event.
“It was a really fun event because I could see … all the people and kids skating on the ice and people having fun and buying food and drinking hot chocolate and that sort of thing. So, it was really quite serene.”
