While hobbies in the rest of Canada might not be that much different from hobbies in Québec, perhaps you will find a few new ideas (and new vocabulary) here to brighten up your summer (or early fall) and practise English at the same time. When you focus on business English all the time, sometimes you are missing some key vocabulary to use in your time off.
According to the Statista website, the most popular hobby/interest of 2021 in Canada was music. Usually (in non-pandemic times), there are a lot of different music festivals all over Canada. , you will find something: for example, there is the Ottawa Bluesfest which, despite its name, showcases bands from all kinds of genres and not just blues bands. While the Shambala Music Festival in BC is the highlight of the year for fans of electronic music, generally folk fests are very popular in Alberta and the Prairies with the biggest, and arguably the best, being the Winnipeg Folk Festival.
Of course, there are other festivals as well, if music is not your main interest. The Calgary Stampede has been around since 1912 and promotes a traditional western lifestyle with rodeos and () . Vancouver hosts the world’s largest fireworks competition at the Honda Celebration of Light festival. For film enthusiasts, the Toronto International Film Festival is . Many of the films that premiere at this festival receive awards at the Golden Globes and Oscars later on.
If festivals aren’t , there’s always the stereotypical Canadian pastime: camping. Whether you’re glamping in a yurt in one of the national parks with the luxury of a proper bed, going on a road trip in your RV or camping in a hammock tent on a multi-day hike in the of the Rocky Mountains, there really is something for everybody.
Speaking of hiking, of course it does not have to be a multi-day hike like the West Coast Trail on the Pacific Ocean in BC, but how about the short North Head Trail on the Atlantic coast in the city of St. John’s in Newfoundland? Or maybe biking (downhill through a dense forest or cycling along the Trans Canada Trail?) or going on an ATV adventure is more ?
Of course there is the whole world of water sports. Canada borders on three oceans: the Atlantic, the Pacific and the Arctic Ocean. And as if that isn’t enough, there are over two million lakes and rivers here. You can kayak, canoe, surf, stand-up paddleboard, sail, boat, fish, float, and raft on or dive in many of them.Did any of these suggestions ? Or maybe you prefer to do winter activities? Stay tuned for “Canadian Hobbies, Part II” coming soon!