WinterFest Returns To Carowinds, Debuts New Year's Eve Event

Immersive experience offers live entertainment, rides, ice skating, falling snow, special menu

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Nov 07, 2018, 08:30 ET

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Nov. 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- WinterFest, Carowinds' immersive holiday entertainment tradition, opens Sunday, November 18. WinterFest transforms the park into a winter wonderland adorned with more than five million holiday lights, a 70-foot Christmas tree and festive décor displayed throughout the park. WinterFest activities include a nightly tree lighting, live holiday shows and strolling performers, ice skating, family rides, a special holiday menu and falling snow. WinterFest will be open select evenings through December 31.

New for this year, Carowinds introduces New Year's Eve at WinterFest, a family-friendly celebration that starts at 10 p.m., after a full evening of WinterFest. New Year's Eve will feature live bands, Snoopy's Rockin' New Year's Eve Party, fireworks at midnight and more. New Year's Eve at WinterFest is included with WinterFest admission or a gold season pass. Two new themed areas will also debut this year, the nostalgic, 50s-inspired Tinsel Town and the whimsical North Pole Excursion. Also new this year, Saturday hours are extended to 2-10 p.m. for a full day of holiday magic.

At WinterFest, children can write a letter to Santa at the North Pole Post Office, take a picture with Santa at St. Nick's Pics*, decorate cookies with Mrs. Claus*, create take-home keepsakes at Sally Brown's Christmas Crafts* and visit a live nativity and petting zoo. Jack Frost, Ice Princess, Sugar Plum Fairy, the PEANUTS™ gang and other holiday characters will meet and greet guests along the midways.

Families will enjoy select rides, including Afterburn and all four classic rides in the new County Fair section, skating on Snowflake Lake* – a rink that magically stays frozen no matter the weather – and horse drawn carriage rides*. Festive live entertainment includes Cool Yule, Jingle Jazz and the Miseltones, Tinker's Toy Factory and Charlie Brown's Christmas Spectacular.

Carowinds' executive chef Kris Siuta has prepared more than 20 holiday menu items just for WinterFest, including Turducken burgers, gourmet mac and cheese, gingerbread-eggnog funnel cakes, cinnamon pull-apart bread and homemade hot chocolate.

Shoppers can hunt for gifts crafted by local artists at Artisan Alley and browse for unique finds at Santa's Stocking Stuffers, J. Frost's Ugly Christmas Sweaters, the North Pole Mercantile, Sugar Plum Sweets and more.

Guests get unlimited visits to WinterFest when they purchase a 2019 gold or platinum season pass. Both 2018 and 2019 season pass holders are also invited to a special WinterFest preview night on Saturday, Nov. 17. The lowest price of the season is available now through December 31.

A complete listing of shows and attractions, and advance-purchase tickets, are available at carowinds.com.

*Activities not included with park admission and are available for an additional charge.

About Carowinds
Carowinds, a 400-acre theme park located on the border of North and South Carolina, is home to more than 50 rides, shows and attractions, including 13 – soon to be 14 – world-class rollercoasters and Carolina Harbor, a top-rated 26-acre water park. Carowinds will debut Copperhead Strike, the Carolinas' first double launch coaster, in the all-new Blue Ridge Junction themed area in 2019.

Carowinds is owned and operated by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company (NYSE: FUN), a publicly traded partnership and one of the largest regional amusement-resort operators in the world. The company owns and operates 11 amusement parks, two outdoor water parks, one indoor water park and four hotels. For more information, see www.cedarfair.com.

Contact:
Lisa Stryker, Communications Director
O: 704.587.9048
M: 704.614.3201
E: [email protected]

SOURCE Carowinds