Winterfest is the name of various winter festivals held in various parts of North America.
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
The annual Winterfest in
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale ( ) is a coastal city located in the U.S. state of Florida, north of Miami along the Atlantic Ocean. It is the county seat of and most populous city in Broward County, Florida, Broward County with a population of 182,760 at the ...
, produces the Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade which is tagged the "Greatest Show on H2O" - founded in 1971, this annual
boat parade
Boat parades are a waterway event with illuminated boats. Some of the well known water parades include locations such as Walt Disney World, the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade, and Fort Lauderdale.
Fort Lauderdale's annual parade in December ...
and festival has earned the title, "The World's Most Watched Boat Parade." Celebrity
grand marshals and 100 decorated boats entertain 1 million spectators along the 12-mile waterway parade route in December.
Lowell, Massachusetts
The annual Winterfest in
Lowell, Massachusetts
Lowell () is a city in Massachusetts, United States. Alongside Cambridge, Massachusetts, Cambridge, it is one of two traditional county seat, seats of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Middlesex County. With an estimated population of 115,554 in ...
, is a
festival
A festival is an event celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, Melā, mela, or Muslim holidays, eid. A ...
that started in 2001. The two-day festival is held following
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the annual History of the NFL championship, league championship game of the National Football League (NFL) of the United States. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966 NFL season, 1966 (with the excep ...
week in downtown Lowell. Events include the
Human Dog Sled Competition, in which six-person teams dressed in wacky costumes compete for titles ranging from fastest team to best dressed. The Human Dog Sled Competition was recognized by
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA; ) is an American animal rights nonprofit organization based in Norfolk, Virginia, and led by Ingrid Newkirk, its international president.
Founded in March 1980 by Newkirk and animal rights ...
(PETA) in 2003 for its animal-friendly approach to winter fun. In the
Soup
Soup is a primarily liquid food, generally served warm or hot – though it is sometimes served chilled – made by cooking or otherwise combining meat or vegetables with Stock (food), stock, milk, or water. According to ''The Oxford Compan ...
Bowl Competition, local restaurant chefs create original recipes that are rated by festival attendees.
Other Winterfest activities include children's entertainment, hot food, drink, live music, free ice skating at
Tsongas Arena
Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell (formerly Tsongas Arena) is a multi-purpose facility owned by the University of Massachusetts Lowell and located in Lowell, Massachusetts. The arena was opened on January 27, 1998, and dedicated to the memory of the ...
, a hay ride, a snowman building contest, and an art show of works by local artists. Musical performers have included the Joshua Tree. The festival ends with a fireworks display that organizers claim rivals those on the
Fourth of July
Independence Day, known colloquially as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States which commemorates the ratification of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing th ...
.
Beloit, Wisconsin
Similar to Lowell, Massachusetts', Winterfest, the
Beloit festival ranges in location from the
Eclipse Center to Riverside Park and downtown. Events include an indoor playland, ice skating on the lagoon, ice sculpting and toboggan races. All events take place in the city of Beloit.
Wausau, Wisconsin
The annual Winter Fest in
Wausau, Wisconsin
Wausau ( ) is a city in Marathon County, Wisconsin, United States, and its county seat. It is located along the Wisconsin River and had a population of 39,994 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is the core city of the Wausau ...
, is a
festival
A festival is an event celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, Melā, mela, or Muslim holidays, eid. A ...
that was founded in 2012 by Wausau Events, Inc. Activities for all ages are offered at sites throughout downtown Wausau and typically include horse-drawn wagon rides, art projects, cookie decorating, a snow sculptures, ice skating, and more.
[ ]
Gatlinburg, Tennessee
A festival in
Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Gatlinburg is a city in Sevier County, Tennessee, United States. It is located southeast of Knoxville, Tennessee, Knoxville and had a population of 3,577 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is a popular mountain resort town, as it ...
, this Winterfest takes place from Friday, February 18 - Sunday, February 20. Unlike the other Winterfests, this one is mainly based around
Christian
A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
fundamentals, as several churches come to the city and have three – 3 hour worship sessions on Friday night, Saturday afternoon, and Sunday morning. Usually, entertainment such as magicians or comedians will be brought in; besides the gatherings, visitors have periods of time for relaxation and recreation when they may go to places such as restaurants, arcades, and other fun activities.
Newaygo, Michigan
The annual Winterfest in
Newaygo, is a
backyard wrestling
Backyard wrestling (BYW), also referred to as yarding or backyarding, is an underground hobby and sport involving untrained practices of Professional wrestling, professional-style wrestling, typically in a low-budget environment, such as a back ...
event started in 2002 as an annual major event put on by the Newaygo Wrestling Organization (nWo). Since its 2002 inception, the nWo has put on five more events, with the most recent in January 2011.
Coventry, Rhode Island
The annual Winterfest in
Coventry, Rhode Island
Coventry is a town in Kent County, Rhode Island. The population was 35,688 at the 2020 census and is part of the .
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of . of it is land and of it (4.49%) is wate ...
, is a bacchanalian celebration of the oppressive cold of New England winters. It is intended to bring the arrival of spring through drink and food. Established in 2012.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Winterfest in Philadelphia is at the Blue Cross RiverRink, a skating rink and outdoor event facility located at
Penn's Landing
Penn's Landing is a waterfront area of Center City, Philadelphia, Center City Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, situated along the Delaware River. Its name commemorates the landing of William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, in 1682. The actual W ...
. During the winter months it hosts the Blue Cross RiverRink WinterFest, featuring winter-themed decorations, fire pits, and an outdoor beer garden. The first Winterfest was held in 2013, conceived by Avram Hornik of FCM Hospitality, who also owns the neighboring outdoor waterfront restaurant, Morgan's Pier. During the summer months, the ice rink is converted into a roller skating rink under the name SummerFest.
Vaughan, Ontario, Canada
Winterfest
'Winterfest' is the name of various winter festivals held in various parts of North America.
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
The annual Winterfest in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, produces the Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade which is tagged the "G ...
See also
*
Winterval
Winterval was a season of public events in Birmingham, England, organised by Birmingham City Council in each of two consecutive winters: first from 20 November to 31 December 1997, and then again from mid-October 1998 to mid-January 1999. The i ...
- a controversial season of public events organised by the city council of
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...
in 1997 and 1998
*
Winterlude
Winterlude is an annual winter festival held in Ottawa, Ontario and Gatineau, Quebec (collectively known as the National Capital Region).
Winterlude is run by the Department of Canadian Heritage and was started in 1979. The event is one of O ...
- a winter festival held annually in the
Canadian National Capital Region
*
Winter Formal
A dance party (also referred to as a dance) is a social gathering where dancing is the primary activity. Some dance parties are held in a casual setting and open to the public, such as a rave, or those held in nightclubs.
Other types of dance ...
- a high school event similar to
prom
A promenade dance or prom is a formal dance party for graduating high school students at the end of the school year.
Students participating in the prom will typically vote for a ''prom king'' and ''prom queen''. Other students may be honored ...
References
{{Reflist
External links
Greater Merrimack Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau - Winterfest 2005Lowell WinterfestKansas City Public LibraryWausau Winter Fest
Festivals in Massachusetts
Tourist attractions in Lowell, Massachusetts
Festivals in Florida
Tourist attractions in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Festivals in Michigan
Tourist attractions in Newaygo County, Michigan
Festivals in Wisconsin
Tourist attractions in Rock County, Wisconsin
Tourist attractions in Marathon County, Wisconsin
Beloit, Wisconsin
Winter festivals in the United States