The Royal Palm Beach Winterfest celebration is returning to Royal Palm Beach Commons Park on Saturday, Dec. 4 from 1 to 9 p.m. with new features including a snowslide with real snow and an ice-skating rink with simulated ice.
Winterfest was not held last year due to the pandemic.
“Winterfest is back from the pandemic,” Assistant Director of Parks & Recreation Mike Mikolaichik said. “We’re expecting a good turnout.”
All the events and concessions are free except for certain food and craft vendors. The event begins at 1 p.m. with a gingerbread decorating contest.
“We will have train rides going on throughout the park starting at 1 p.m. as well,” Mikolaichik said. “We will have the snow slide there at 4 p.m. We will have a kids’ fun zone available, and that will be free of charge to anybody who enters the park.”
There will be a craft station, a Ferris wheel, hot cocoa, cookies and food truck vendors.
The lighting ceremony of the village’s 28-foot Christmas tree will be held at about 6:15 p.m., which will be accompanied by fireworks and a Santa Claus meet and greet with photo ops at 6:30 p.m.
The Eagles tribute band Long Run will perform at 7:30 p.m., preceded by the Royal Palm Beach Elementary School Bobcat Singers and Ringers at 2 p.m., the Dance Theatre at Wellington Green at 2:30 p.m., the Movement Arts Dance Academy at 3:30 p.m., the Gold Twirlers at 5 p.m. and the Victorian Voices at 6:30 p.m.
One of the main attractions is a synthetic-based ice-skating rink for adults and children.
“They have a certain kind of skates that they wear,” Mikolaichik said. “It’s not real ice, it’s synthetic ice, but it definitely gives you the feel of ice skating.”
He added that there will be free kayaking going on throughout the day.
“One huge benefit to our events is that everything is free,” Mikolaichik said. “Besides the food that each vendor will be selling, there will also be craft vendors that are selling items, but other than that, everything is free. We expect to have a fun, family-filled event.”
