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Don't Hibernate...Celebrate! Enjoy the 16th Annual Lowell WinterFest!

February 19 and 20

February 10, 2016
(LOWELL, MA) - Preparations for the 16th Annual Lowell WinterFest Celebration are in full swing and the excitement is building! This year’s anticipated event takes place Friday, February 19 and Saturday, February 20, featuring food, fun and entertainment for all ages. 

Regular visitors to Lowell’s signature event will find lots of exciting changes.  This year the food and drink celebrations shift from Arcand Drive to Lucy Larcom Park.  On Friday and Saturday nights dramatic canal lighting displays -- part of a vibrant new year-round lighting program for the canal -- will provide a creative backdrop for fire pits, fire dancers, an outdoor ice bar and heated tents where visitors can enjoy food, beverages  and music.  From 6-9 PM on Friday, a Progressive Party will kick off in Lucy Larcom Park where visitors can once again enjoy locally made Craft Brews and then continue throughout downtown to sample more quality hops-based beverages. Tickets for the Progressive Party are $25 in advance and $30 at the door (21+ only).

From Lucy Larcom you can travel over to Arcand Drive for the brand new Winter Carnival.  The Carnival takes place 5:30-9 PM Friday and 12-7 PM Saturday and features a giant "Snowzilla” inflatable slide, a full-size classic carousel, roasted marshmallows courtesy of the Rotary Club, and carnival standards like fried dough and food trucks.  This year, instead of the Human Dog Sled race, you’ll find the “Extreme Rush” inflatable obstacle course, no pre-registration necessary!  Pair off with family members and friends and see who can complete their run the fastest!  The best time from both days goes home with a special WinterFest commemorative gift. 

Friday night at the Masonic is for those who want to GLOW! The COOL Street Team will be presenting this black-light GLOW Party with the help of volunteers and performers Fermata Nowhere and Protohype of UMass Lowell, as well as the LHS Black Unity Club and Lowell High School.  From 6 to 8 PM, the all-ages GLOW Party will feature live dance, music performances and DJ sets for everyone to enjoy. Then, from 9 to 11:30 PM, the dance party will glow on for the 18+ crowd!  Admission is $2 per person and includes a free glow-in-the-dark treat (while supplies last). Be sure to wear your best whites! And keep an eye out for WinterFest mascot Lowla — she’ll be the fluorescent bear in the middle of the dance floor!

Winterfest 2016 will also present signature favorites including the Mittens and Museum Madness Indoor Play Space at Lowell High School (12-5 PM Saturday) with a spectacular model train display courtesy of the HUB Model Railroad Association. The Annual Soup Bowl Competition will take place 12-3 PM Saturday at the Masonic, where visitors can sample delicious locally made soups and vote for their favorite. Admission to the competition is just $6 per person at the door. Horse-drawn carriage rides, ice sculptures, and the popular All-You-Can-Eat Chocolate Festival at St. Anne’s Church (11 AM-4 PM Saturday) have also made a comeback for 2016. 

Add in the Snowman Trail through downtown created by local artists, a screening of Disney's Frozen along with new interactive family activities at the Lowell National Historical Park Visitor Center, and what you have is a formula for FUN! 

“WinterFest is one of Lowell’s signature events and we thought it was time to shake things up a bit.  We think the public will love the new format and activities but we’ve also preserved lots of the core events to keep the WinterFest tradition strong,” says City Manager Kevin Murphy.

For a complete and updated schedule, visit www.Lowell.org or call 978-674-4260 for information. All WinterFest activities are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted on the schedule. 

Volunteers help make every WinterFest a fun, safe, and successful event. Be a part of the official WinterFest Volunteer Team and invite friends, family, and co-workers to join in! All are welcome to sign up online at www.cultureiscool.org/current-volunteer-opportunities. Contact Suzzanne Cromwell at 978-674-1483 or scromwell@lowellma.gov for volunteer details. 



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