January and February have got to be the two longest months on the calendar. The novelty of snow and "winter magic" has long since worn off, and the next worthy holiday is so far off it hurts (for those of you keeping track, I'm not referring to Family Day). With Toronto's social calendar thinning out and the weather forcing us indoors, a winter festival is more than welcome. As usual, Toronto's government has stepped in for some much needed relief with the annual WinterCity Festival, running from January 30 to February 12.

As much a boost to Toronto's cold-diminished recreation industry as a boon for its citizens, the event offers a mixed bag of events to get you off your ass and out spending money (isn't there something going on with the economy?). The Festival offers entertainment, performances, and discounts at Toronto's attractions, but the highlight, as always, is the insanely popular Winterlicious. Notably, the event delivers $15 to $45 prix fixe menus, many at restaurants that would regularly cost much much more for a decent meal (Canoe isn't regularly very budget friendly). If you're looking for recommendations on where to get the best feast for your buck, you can check out our picks right here, but Winterlicious offers more than just discounts.

There's a reason foodies have these two weeks circled on their calendars. In addition to Recession-friendly meals, there are a number of culinary events that should have your mouth watering. Among the most intriguing is Dining in the Dark (February 3) at Embrujo Flamenco on the Danforth, six courses of Spanish food and wine all enjoyed from under a blindfold. Others, like a Japanese/Chinese/Vietnamese/Thai/Indian brunch at Spice route (February 1), and a sustainable feast in the Stop Community Food Centre’s Green House (February 9), are delicious opportunities for special meals. The events run the gamut from feeding you to educating you (how dare they!) on the finer points of eating and drinking (there's a lot to learn). You can peruse the events at the Winterlicious website.

As is usually the case with Toronto-sponsored events, the hub of the WinterCity is Nathan Phillips Square (no one likes to travel too far in the winter, I guess), where the festival will be launched on January 31 by a couple of buzz-heavy Canadian acts: the hilarious and lightweight hip hopper, Shad, and the impossibly energetic electro-duo, Thunderheist, who will try to keep the crowd moving and avoiding hypothermia. That will be a tough act to follow, but the next Saturday will bring a performance by CanCon favourites, The Stills.

Nathan Phillips Square will also be the site of the WinterCity Lodge, a hub of all-ages programming from art installations and arts and crafts to sketch comedy and DJ-driven dance parties. Of course, the thinly-veiled object of the festival is to get people spending in the city, and so events spread much wider than City Hall. Some of Toronto's most-touted tourist attractions, like as the Art Gallery of Ontario and the CN Tower (the usual suspects), will be offering both special events and discount admission.

These lingering winter months don't have to be an excuse to sit at home and watch awards shows. There's plenty to do in the city, and cheap ploy or not, you should be out taking advantage. Something has to get you through to St. Patrick's Day, doesn't it?