We were invited to the opening day of the Winter Fest which fell on the first day of winter this year. How awesome is that! We were ready and bundled up and could barely contain our excitement for our first winter break activity. Once we got in, we were promptly greeted by the carolers singing Christmas songs who stood near the worldâs largest walk-through ornament.Â
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After taking several pictures, we decided to hop into the trackless train hoping to get an overview of the Winter Fest. We were in for a treat! This train took us to Alpine Village and right into the Festival of Lights. Yes! We were able to enjoy the whole Festival of Lights just by sitting comfortably inside the train. The Festival of Lights surely is a feast for our eyes! Â
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To add into all the fun, there is nightly snowfall, tree lighting and holiday parade. If you visit Winter Fest from the opening night through December 24th, you can see Santa with his reindeers flying above the Hangar with fireworks that followed soon after that. Nestled right next to the Christmas tree is the outdoor ice rink. After trying our skating skill, we went on for a few rounds of ice tubing in Snowflake Summit.
With hot cocoa on our hands, we made our way to Alpine Village which is full of fun activities from Live Shows in the Holiday Stage, Snow Play & Slide, Toddler Sled Run, Climbing Wall, Avalanche Slide to Inflatable Maze. There are other kids activities like Face Painting in here too. Not too far from the Alpine Village is the Santaâs Petting Zoo.
Located next to the worldâs largest rocking horse, which we definitely rode and love, is the Candy Cane Carnival that we think is a nice addition to the festival. Looking to warm up our body from the icy cold weather, we went to the Hangar and do a bit of exploring there. There is Santa and Mrs. Clausâ Cabin located next to the Snowflake Summit. Then on the opposite side, there is Model Train Exhibit.
Winter Fest is definitely a place to go during the winter break with so many activities and things to do for both adults and kids. Be prepared to spend at least 4-5 hours here to be able to fully explore and enjoy the festival. Donât forget to bring your camera since there are a lot of photo ops located all over the festival.
*Tickets were provided to facilitate this review, but all opinions are my own.Â
Santa and His Reindeer Fly Over the Fairgrounds as Winter Fest OC Returns!
Southern Californiaâs Ultimate Winter Experience Continues with 18 days of Entertainment, Attractions and Fun for all Ages
Celebration Festivals is âbringing winter to the OCâ with the return of Southern Californiaâs largest winter tradition - Winter Fest at the OC Fair & Event Center. This year, the forecast calls for 18 days of snow in a winter wonderland of fun as Winter Fest will run from December 21 through January 7, giving families additional time in the new year to enjoy more than 20 wintry activities that are back by popular demand. See Santa and his reindeer fly over the fairgrounds for four nights only before heading back to the North Pole on Christmas Day.
Winter Festâs giant wonderland of family fun and date night charm is a great value with tickets available starting at only $10. Season passes are also available for all 18 days of Winter Fest to capture plenty of Instagram-worthy pictures. Every admission ticket includes:
 
- Unlimited ice tubing down Snowflake Summitâs 150-foot, 8 lane mountain of ice
- Snow Play area with real snow blown in daily â expanded this year!
- Festival of Lights two-million-light stroll-through holiday displays â 7 new lands!
- Nightly tree lighting celebration with parade of Winter Fest characters, snow flurries, fireworks and flying Santa and his Reindeer until he returns to the North Pole
- Winter Fest themed bounce houses and slides for kids
- The worldâs largest walk-through ornament and rocking horse
- Craft making and games in Santaâs workshop
- Daily entertainment including live bands, magic from Jimmy H, and strolling carolers
- Character live shows and meet and greets from popular cartoons such as Thomas the Train, Sid the Science Kid, PJ Masks, and Buddy from Dinosaur Train
- Little Elves (Toddler) play area
- Santaâs petting zoo
- Arcade games
- Snowboard Simulator
Additional attractions with a fee include:
- Ice Skating on a full outdoor rink
- Candy Cane carnival with more than 30 rides, attractions and games
- Pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus in their cabin
âWinter Fest has become a go-to destination for Southern California families to celebrate the holiday season and we are proud to bring âwinter to the OCâ for our third year of fun, food and entertainment,â said Katrina Carlson, Events Director of Celebration Festivals. âWeâre bringing back all the attractions people love, from high-speed sledding thrills to a larger real snow play area, outdoor ice skating, and flying Santa and his Reindeer over the fairgrounds. Whether you choose to come for a day of carnival games and snow play, enjoy a holiday cocktail over evening entertainment, or ring in the New Year, Winter Fest has something for everyone to make lasting memories.â
Each night, Winter Fest will celebrate with a parade of winter characters, featuring Mayor Frost, Mrs. Claus, the Ice Princess, Penny the Penguin, carolers, Toy Soldiers on stilts, and elves. With the Winter Fest characters circled around the 30-foot-tall Christmas tree, Mayor Frost will light the tree and thrill the crowd with fireworks, falling snow, and a surprise appearance from Santa and his Reindeer flying overhead through Christmas Eve.Â
Private, ice rink-side VIP cabanas start at only $69 per session, creating a destination for holiday office parties, birthday parties, family retreats or date nights. Each cabana will accommodate two to 10 people and can adapt to fit parties of up to 100 guests. The VIP cabanas offer exclusive menus with seasonally-inspired food, cocktails, a private ice rink entrance and private servers.
New Year's Eve, Winter Fest plans to light up the sky with fireworks and a not-to-miss 3,000 beach-ball drop at midnight. For families looking for a fun experience to ring in the New Year with the East Coast, a special countdown, beach-ball drop and fireworks will be celebrated at 9pm.Â
For more information on Winter Fest visit www.WinterFestOC.com and for the latest updates on entertainment, food and fun follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter or with #WinterFestOC.
