Cleveland’s annual Winterfest celebration kicks off the holiday season with lights, caroling, carriage rides, and much more. It all gets started soon after Thanksgiving and is something that Cleveland residents and visitors look forward to every year. You can enjoy many of the same annual activities each year, but you never know what new events might pop up. Don’t miss Winterfest in Downtown Cleveland.
Watch the Annual Tree Lighting
Every year, the Winterfest celebration kicks off with the annual tree lighting. The weekend after Thanksgiving in Public Square includes a festive ceremony with a fireworks display.
Ice Skating in Public Square
The whole family can go skating at Cleveland Pubic Square. The rink has real ice, and everyone can skate whether you’ve been on the ice before or not. There’s a skate rental kiosk at the Cleveland Foundation Centennial Plaza where you can buy tickets and rent skates. Tickets are $12 per person with rentals included. If you plan to skate several times throughout the season, you can purchase a ten pack for $100. The kiosk has skates ranging from children’s size 9 to adult size 13. Skating runs through January.
Stay at the Mr. Kringle Suite at the Hilton
Make any holiday celebration complete with a stay at the Mr. Kringle suite at the Hilton Cleveland Downtown. The suite has two Christmas trees, many holiday decorations, and holiday-themed furniture. You’ll find velvet bedding and pillows and naughty and nice bathrobes. The large 55-inch LCD TV is perfect for watching holiday movies, and the spacious living area has room for everyone to spread out. The suite has four guests, a king-size bed, and a full-size pullout bed.
Experience Winter RiverFest
During Cleveland’s Winterfest celebration, Rivergate Park and Merwin’s Wharf transform into a winter wonderland. There’s a skating rink, fire pits, and festive light displays and décor. Stop by the beer garden for a drink or go shopping at the many retail shops in the neighborhood. You can also visit the igloo village that sits along the Cuyahoga River in the Flats.
Experience Holidays at the Higbee
There is nothing like the Holidays at the Higbee. The JACK Cleveland Casino decks out the historic Higbee building with festive decorations for the holidays. Starting in 2021, the JACK Cleveland added a new holiday attraction. They now serve festive holiday-themed cocktails throughout the season.
Take a Guided Apartment Tour
Experience what it’s like to live in downtown Cleveland with a guided tour during the holidays. The tour guides will take you down Euclid Ave, where you can visit four different luxury apartments in four of Cleveland’s iconic properties. You’ll head to the Residences at Halle, The May, the new Terminal Tower apartments, and The Residences at 668. In addition to viewing the apartments, you’ll see the luxury amenities. Arrive for your tour early, and you’ll get to visit with Mr. Jingleing. He just celebrated his 65th anniversary.
The last stop on the tour is the Observation Deck of Terminal Tower, where you’ll have fantastic views of Public Square and have some time to enjoy some dessert, cocktails for the adults, and cocoa for everyone.
Take a Stroll Through the Annual Gingerbread House Village
Every year The Ritz-Carlton puts on a one-of-a-kind gingerbread house display. This annual tradition is a great way to make holiday memories.
Go to The Black Business Expo
The Real Black Friday Expo takes place at several locations, including Tower City and the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. This annual Feb. event is designed to bring awareness and exposure to Black-owned businesses in northeastern Ohio. It showcases the different types of Black-owned businesses in the area and encourages residents and visitors to support them. The Real Black Friday organization will host events throughout the NBA All-Star weekend.
See the Cleveland Ballet Perform The Nutcracker
Nothing celebrates the holidays like seeing a performance of the iconic Nutcracker Ballet. The Cleveland Ballet puts on their annual performance at Playhouse Square’s Corner Theater. The production is perfect for all ages and has some dancing and scenes unique to the Cleveland Ballet.
Head to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame gets in on the holiday action with live music, specials on merchandise, and photo opportunities. You can get tickets for special holiday shows, concerts, and events for several days throughout Winterfest. The museum store stays open for holiday gift shopping, and the museum is open for visitors with General Admission tickets. You can enjoy festive food and drinks during your visit and take part in the rock & roll holiday-themed trivial contests. A visit during the day will bring live holiday music from the Rock Hall house band and other performers on the indoor PNC stage.
Downtown Cleveland Christmas Walking Tour
Take a guided holiday walking tour of downtown Cleveland. You’ll visit some of the city’s most famous department stores and experience their annual traditions. The tour guide will take you down Euclid Avenue and tell you all about Higbee’s Twigbe Shop, Mr. Jingleing, and the iconic Sterling-Lindner Christmas tree. The tour gets started at Public Square and ends at Playhouse Square. Reservations are required, and it takes about an hour and a half. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes and warm clothes.
Ride the RTA Holiday Trolley
The RTA will debut a new holiday trolley for Winterfest. They put it on display at Public Square during the event for photo ops. The RTA also has its award-winning holiday trains in regular service. These make any ride special with their interior and exterior holiday lights and festive decorations inside. You never know when Santa might make an appearance onboard one of the holiday trains. He makes stops throughout the season, handing out toys to children.
Stop by Nissan of Streetsboro when you need reliable transportation to get you to all of the Winterfest events. We have a large selection of new and used vehicles that will get you and your family to all of the festivities.
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