Arvest Winterfest Celebrates Another Successful Season
Arvest Winterfest celebrated its sixth anniversary by welcoming nearly 140,000 guests to downtown Tulsa over the course of 38 days this past December into January. This -produced event featured outdoor ice skating, horse and carriage rides, live entertainment, a climate-controlled warming tent and holiday concessions. Winterfest favorites including the awe-inspiring fireworks display, Oklahoma’s largest Christmas tree and a day of free skating also returned this year.
“As we bring to a close another successful year of Arvest Winterfest, we are so appreciative of Tulsans and out of town visitors who continue to make this event a holiday tradition,” said John Bolton, Regional Vice President and General Manager. “We extend a special thank you to Arvest Bank and all of our sponsors for their continued support. We look forward to keeping this tradition going for many years to come.”
As Arvest Winterfest’s main attraction, the 9,000 square-foot outdoor ice skating rink was aglow with new lighting towers that flooded the ice surface with a chase of color. The 150’ x 60’ ice rink is placed along 3rd Street outside the Center providing a backdrop of the Tulsa skyline.
New additions to the Winterfest activity calendar included the first “Progressive Lighting: Downtown Tulsa” with coordinated lighting tour stops at the Guthrie Green, Deco District and Arvest Winterfest on Dec. 1. Participants enjoyed live entertainment, ice sculptures, delicious treats, holiday vendors and ice skating. The downtown trolley made continuous stops at each location to provide free transportation for attendants.
The inaugural Breakfast with Santa took place Dec. 14 in the Center Grand Lobby. This first year event sold out quickly and the team plans to expand the event next year in order to accommodate more guests. A Gingerbread House Contest, cookie decorating and kids’ inflatables made Dec. 14 one of the best attended days in Winterfest history. The same evening, fireworks lit up the sky creating an unforgettable night at Winterfest.
On Dec. 15, Arvest Winterfest welcomed all guests to enjoy ice skating as a celebration of six years in downtown Tulsa.
In partnership with the American Red Cross, Winterfest introduced the Holiday Mail for Heroes Campaign and the first Winterfest Blood Drive. Visitors who brought holiday cards for members of the military service received a $2 off discount for rink admission and skate rental as well as a hot cocoa voucher. Cox Media Group and the American Red Cross teamed up with event coordinators to bring the first Winterfest Blood Drive held in the Center Grand Lobby.
A variety of weekly promotions were scheduled during the festival. Every Monday, patrons received half-price admission for skating with the donation of a non-perishable food item to the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. On Tuesdays, visitors skated for half-price with the donation of a new or gently used book to the Volunteers of America-Oklahoma Chapter literacy program. Every Wednesday throughout the festival visitors received half-price skating with the donation of a new or gently used coat, blanket, scarf or pair of gloves. These donations benefit the Tulsa Day Center. “Warmth Wednesdays” are presented by Magellan Midstream Partners.
Winterfest 2013 was presented by Arvest Bank. Live entertainment on the plaza was compliments of ONEOK. Additional sponsors included Magellan Midstream Partners, AT&T, Rib Crib, the Doubletree Hotel, Saint Francis Health System, the US Army and Frontier International Trucks. Official media partners for the event included Tulsa’s Channel 8, Tulsa Business & Legal News,Cox Radio, Inc., and La Semana.
Updated 01-13-2014
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