The holiday season kicked off in high gear this weekend as Jacksonville hosted its annual Winterfest at Riverwalk Crossing Park—complete with Santa rolling in on a motorcycle to start the celebration.
The Saturday afternoon and evening festival filled downtown Jacksonville with family-friendly fun, snow, music, and the glow of the town’s annual tree lighting. Families lined up for visits with Santa, children raced down snowy sledding hills, and crowds enjoyed everything from a petting zoo and train rides to a rock climbing wall, games, and live band performances. Food trucks served warm treats as the sun set over the New River ahead of the popular flotilla.
The city’s Recreation Services Director, Susan Baptist, said Winterfest is designed to give families a chance to enjoy the season without financial strain.
“Anytime you can create opportunities for families to have a good time, make memories, have fun, I think that always adds value to a community,” Baptist said. “This is an opportunity for them to enjoy each other and enjoy the festivities. It is not gonna break the bank because everything is free!”
As the evening wrapped with the tree lighting and shimmering flotilla, Winterfest once again delivered on its promise: bringing the Jacksonville community together to celebrate the magic of the season.