Winterama is noted as being the oldest winter carnival in North America. Winterama started back in 1948 when a group of Penetanguisnhene business men decided that the period from Christmas to the Easter holiday was just too long, and that some sort of relaxation was needed midway in the interval.

The decision was reached that some form of winter sporting or games festival would be the perfect way to break the winter blues and settled for a type of winter carnival.

In the beginning it was a pretty modest sort of effort consisting mainly of dog races and snowshoe racing. Horse racing and other related events also entered into the mix. Then for some inexplicable reason the festival was dropped.

It didn't remain dormant for too long a period, soon Ralph Cowan, a cottage owner at Thunder Bay who was a circulation and promotion manager with the Toronto Star asked for a meeting with the members of the Chamber of Commerce and convinced the Chamber to stage a fairsized winter carnival.

The first chairman of the new Carnival was Marcel Bellehumeur, a local business owner. It was Marcel who eventually came up with the name of "Winterama" in 1959.
From 2002 to 2005 the town of Penetanguishene took over the organizing of the festival and in 2006, Winterama 58th year, organization of the festival has been contracted to Jenny Legget.

Back in early days of Winterama one of the main attraction was the scoot races. People came from many miles away to view this unique means of transportation. Several years went by and gradually the snowmobile came onto the scene and eventually replaced the scoot as a winter racing vehicle.

Some of the events that have survived the test of time are:
The Winterama Queen Contest, although name was changed in 1996 to the Penetanguishene Ambassador Contest , which is now open to both men and women.
Curling Bonspiel
Parade
Cardboard Toboggan Races
Ice Sculptures
Hockey Tournament
Plus many other activities and events, check out what is happening at this years Winterama

Through the years even though numerous changes have taken place in the Winterama program, some things have been dropped, while others have started, above all is the friendly atmosphere that pervades throughout the entire carnival weekend that draws people back to the Penetanguishene Winterama year after year.