There is no doubt that Canada is a northern country and that our winters here in Toronto can sometimes be a little harsh. But that's no reason to hold anyone back from getting out there and enjoying the city to the fullest.

To ease the winter blues, the City of Toronto has developed a series of special events dedicated to bringing the city to life in the middle of winter. The WinterCity Festival is a city-wide celebration of Toronto's culinary offerings (the popular Winterlicious restaurant promotion), a wide variety of free entertainment events and a showcase of Toronto's vibrant arts scene, featuring live music, dance, theatre, spectacle shows, rink-side concerts and even aerial acrobatic performances. Throw in a number of child-friendly events, and WinterCity has something for everyone in the family.

I had a chance to talk to Grant Ramsey from the City of Toronto who is one of the key people behind WinterCity and he is providing a much more detailed overview of all the special events, artistic and culinary treats on offer.

1. Please give us an overview of Toronto's WinterCity Festival. When did it come into being? When and where is it held?

This year will be the fourth WinterCity held. Prior to the name change, it was called WinterFest, which took place on one weekend. Since expanding the festival, it now runs for two-weeks and is held primarily at Nathan Phillips Square from, Jan. 27 to Feb. 9

2. Please tell us more about the "Wild on Winter Series".

The Wild on Winter Series (WOW!) combines some of the best performances in Toronto. Two large outdoor spectacle shows,