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WinterFest at Adventure Landing: Ice Skating and Falling Snow in Sunny Florida

Jacksonville, Florida, is widely known for having great weather year round, miles of pristine white sand beaches, and plenty of fun things to do no matter which time of year you choose to visit. Whether you're sunbathing or soaking in the vibrant cultural offerings, there is something for everyone in Jacksonville. For the past five years, a one-of-a-kind holiday celebration has been gaining popularity and giving its visitors a unique holiday celebration. The event is called WinterFest and it takes place at the always fun and entertaining Adventure Landing Shipwreck Island Waterpark. This park is one of the leading family activity destinations in all of Florida and the perfect location for WinterFest. The park undergoes a drastic change from a waterpark into a fun Alpine holiday village.  

 

WinterFest attracts visitors from all over the region. People come from far and wide for one of the only places in Florida where you will find falling snow, ice, and the opportunity to ice skate, all in a exciting holiday environment. This is the ideal location for a family activity, with things to do like seeing and meeting Santa, wandering through the beautifully decorated holiday village, lacing up your ice skates for a session on their real ice rink, or just roasting up s'mores for a delicious treat. Not only is this a celebration of the holidays, but the event also is very important to the community. Aside from driving business to the local economy, they have partnered up with many charities to really embody the season's spirit of giving. For an alpine holiday extravaganza surrounded by some of the best winter weather in America, nothing compares to WinterFest in sunny and warm Jacksonville. ResortsandLodges.com got the opportunity to interview Event Representative, Natalie Dunlap, about this unique and fun event.

 

RAL: Tell me a little bit about WinterFest at Adventure Landing.

ND: We began in 2011, so this is the fifth annual WinterFest. We expect to bring in around 48,000 guests to our event. Demographically the visitors are mostly families, teens, and children, but everyone is welcome and encouraged to come down and participate.

 

RAL: What makes it unique?

ND: We have Jacksonville’s only outdoor skating rink with real ice available for a winter event. Where else will you find real snow, Santa, and a holiday winter village in Florida? Families don't need to leave the Jacksonville area to find a true winter wonderland experience.

 

RAL: Take me through a typical day at the event, also touch on food options and overall environment.

ND: People love the Ice slide, ice skating, and just the fun activities we offer like s'more roasting, cookie decorating and more. Santa, of course, is a hit on the weekends. Entry to view the lights and storefront in our Alpine Village is free. Pricing for ice skating and other activities are posted on our website.

 

For food options we serve everything! A few popular options available are pizza, sandwiches, hot chocolate, and even dipping dots. We have plenty of indoor and outdoor space, and seating to accommodate everyone looking for a delicious meal.

 

The overall environment is a festive winter holiday wonderland. We have a beautiful variety of trees decorated for charity and everywhere you look, you’ll find holiday cheer and decor. It’s a large holiday celebration that draws mostly from Jacksonville, St. Augustine and Orange Park.

 

RAL: What can visitors expect to find for local lodging.

ND: There is a wide variety of lodging options in the Jacksonville area. While this is a very popular event and destination, the hotels can handle all the visitors who wish to visit and participate. We don't have any specific deals with any lodging providers, check with them to see if the have any deals or packages that you can make use of. A few local options include Best Western Oceanfront Resort, Holiday Inn Express Jacksonville Beach Hotel and Four Points by Sheraton Jacksonville Beachfront.

 

RAL: Does WinterFest drive business to the local economy.

ND: Bringing in almost 50,000 people during the duration of the festival certainly drives people to the local businesses. Our restaurants, shops, attractions, and hotels all benefit from all the extra people visiting our community. In addition, we have over 25 local sponsors we help drive business to. With the increased crowds, local businesses can display their store by sponsoring a window, ice rink banner, or there are custom programs available.

 

RAL: Does WinterFest support any special causes?

ND: This year we are proudly working directly with 12 different local, state, and national charities including Dreams Come True, Open Arms, American Red Cross, Goodwill, Mammoglams, Pine Castle, Mission House, Special Olympics Florida, In the Pink, JDRF, Jacksonville Humane Society, March of Dimes, and Take Stock in Children.


For more information on WinterFest at Adventure Landing please visit their website.