With the opening of its winter carnival, Ste-Agathe-des-Monts in Québec's Laurentian mountains becomes the centre for a variety of competitive winter sports. Parades and floats take over the streets of Ste-Agathe and the mayor gives the signal for the carnival to commence. It begins with ice skating for the children, followed by horse-drawn sled and sulky races, a three day International Dog Sled Race and downhill ski races.