Winterfest opens in downtown Tulsa
BY ZACK STOYCOFF World Staff Writer
Friday, November 23, 2012
11/23/12 at 1:41 PM
Winterfest kicked off in downtown Tulsa Friday morning with a 5K run and the opening of the event's signature ice skating rink.
The fifth-annual event, presented by Arvest Bank and the Lobeck Taylor Family Foundation, runs through Jan. 6 at the BOK Center.
About 1,500 runners participated in the 8:30 a.m. Turkey Trot, surpassing last year's 1,200 participants, organizers said.
About 120,000 people are expected to attend this year's Winterfest, which has grown in attendance from about 31,000 in its first year to more than 130,000 in 2011, BOK Center Special Events Manager Jill DuVall said.
The main attraction, a 9,000-square-foot outdoor ice rink on Third Street and Denver Avenue, opened on time at 10 a.m. despite a few puddles on the ice, DuVall said.
Temperatures were expected to stay cool enough Friday and the following days to ensure a successful opening weekend, she said.
Ice skating this weekend will cost $8 per person with a skate rental and $5 for those who bring their own skates and for childern younger than 3.
After this weekend, admission plus a skate rental will cost $10. The other prices will remain the same.
Winterfest also features carriage rides, visits from “Segway Santa” and a warming tent set up outside the ice rink. A 44-foot Christmas tree, which organizers say is the tallest in Oklahoma, features more than 35,000 lights.
For a full Winterfest calendar with prices and daily hours of operation, visit tulsaworld.com/winterfest. For a list of holiday activities in the downtown area, visit tulsaworld.com/downtowntulsa.
Associated Images:
Zack Adams,15, ice skates at Winterfest on Friday. MIKE SIMONS/Tulsa World
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