Bon Soo wants to hear from you in new survey

Following what many Saultites described as the strangest winter in memory, organizers with Bon Soo are ecstatic with how February’s snow-less carnival played out.

Now, they want to hear from the community on how they can make the nine-day event better next year with a short survey.

One randomly selected survey participant will receive a prize package that includes:

• Two passes to the Miss Marie Sault Lock Tours
• Gift certificate and hoodie from Northern Superior Brewing Co.
• Gift certificate to the Machine Shop Mill Steakhouse

“We want to get a really good sample size and have the community just answer a couple questions so we can gather some important information,” said Josh Ingram, Bon Soo organizer and special events coordinator with the city.

“We have our first draft of the program due in August, so this survey will help our board plan out the events during the summer,” he added. “It will also let us aggregate data so we can get a really good understanding of what people love and don’t love about Bon Soo, which will then let us leverage that data for funding opportunities.”

The 61st annual carnival sold around 8,500 buttons and tickets this year, slightly down from the 9,033 that were sold in 2023.

But considering the above zero temperatures and lack of snow, Ingram and his fellow board members were thrilled to come away profitable for a second straight year.

“We had a pretty great year despite the weather,” he said. “We did experience a tiny dip in button sales, but the fact we maintained momentum was really encouraging. We can’t be dependent on our weather anymore.”

Only four of Bon Soo’s 145 activities were cancelled due to weather.

Although some of the bigger events like the opening ceremonies and Polar Bear Plunge had a slightly altered look to them compared to years past, Ingram said a healthy mix of camaraderie and hard work made for strong attendance.

“Sometimes things were run a little differently,” Ingram admitted. “We still did our Polar Rush Winter Obstacle Course for example, but it felt more like a tough mudder. Things like Hiawatha Highlands skiing we had to cancel, and there were no bum slides.”

Feeling grateful for the support from the board, volunteers, and the thousands of residents who attended Bon Soo this year, Ingram is looking forward to what lies ahead in 2025.

“I can’t speak higher of the people around the table who are working to invest in and revitalize Bon Soo,” he said. “There is such a community pride in this brand and what this festival means to the Sault, and everybody had that front and centre in their heads.”