The Oklahoma Eagle Newswire
Tulsa’s Favorite Holiday Tradition Kicks Off BOK Center’s 10 Year Anniversary Celebration
Arvest Winterfest presented with Toyota to be held outside BOK Center on Third Street, between Denver & Frisco on Friday, November 24, 2017, to Sunday, January 7, 2018.
TULSA, Okla. – The time has come to bundle up and enjoy the magical spirit of the holidays as Tulsa’s favorite winter festival returns to the streets of downtown Tulsa as the 10th Annual Arvest Winterfest presented with Toyota prepares to kick off a season of fun. Named by People Magazine as the top holiday destination in Oklahoma, Winterfest will be open daily from Friday, November 24 through Sunday, January 7 (including all holidays in between).
“It’s incredible that we’re celebrating 10 years of Arvest Winterfest,” Jeff Nickler, SMG Tulsa General Manager, said. “We’re excited to offer new and fun things to all our guests as a thank you for making this annual event a success year after year.” This year, in addition to the 9,000 square-foot-outdoor ice rink, Santa’s Live Reindeer will be on-site to take pictures with families all season long! Guests will be able to see Prancer and Vixen, or Comet and Cupid up close.
Need a little help on the ice? New Skating Guides will now be available to help you glide in style. The lightweight helpers, courtesy of Health Zone at St. Francis, can assist skaters of all ages to be more confident on the ice and off the rails. Oklahoma’s tallest Christmas Tree will welcome guests to the winter wonderland. Towering 44-feet into the air, the tree features 35,700 glowing lights, 109,534 individual tips and a diameter at the base of nearly 30-feet. The beautiful lights provide an ideal backdrop for perfect holiday photographs under the Tulsa skyline. Guests can also take a ride in a carriage or warm up in the climate-controlled Osage Casino warming tent with seasonal concessions.
Free entertainment every Saturday until Christmas Eve takes place just in front of the Christmas tree in the ONE Gas courtyard. Sit down and listen to the joyful music performed by children from area churches, schools, nonprofit organizations and choral groups. A variety of weekly promotions are scheduled during the festival. Every Monday, patrons receive half-price admission for skating with the donation of a non-perishable can of food benefiting the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, presented by Arvest. Every Wednesday throughout the festival visitors receive half-price skating or admission with the donation of a new or gently used coat, blanket, scarf or pair of gloves, presented by Cox Charities. These donations benefit Night Light Tulsa.
As part of GLOW, Arvest Winterfest presented with Toyota has teamed up with the Downtown Coordinating Council to bring the best of the holidays to Downtown Tulsa. “Ready, Set, GLOW” will take place on November 26 and will feature a day full of holiday activities. The tour of lighting ceremonies will commence at 5PM at John Hope Franklin Reconciliation Park, then it will move to Guthrie Green and finish at Arvest Winterfest. KC and Jess from Mix96’s KC in the Morning Show will turn on the lights of the iconic Winterfest Christmas tree at 7:00 p.m.
Come grab a delicious meal at Breakfast with Santa on Saturday, December 9, with the whole family. Mr. Claus will be on-site for pictures and to hear any last-minute gift requests. Admission is $8 per person and reservations are required. We began taking reservations on Friday, November 10. Please visit www.tulsawinterfest.com to save a spot. Breakfast with Santa is presented by BlueStone Natural Resources. In 10 years, attendance for this event has soared from 35,000 visitors in 2008 to more than 150,000. The seasonal celebration is open to the public for 45 days. This season guarantees everyone a chance to enjoy skating beneath Tulsa’s skyline while watching free entertainment from the outdoor stage and taking in beautiful, gleaming holiday lights. Cox Radio, Inc. is the official media partner. A full Winterfest calendar with prices and daily hours of operation is available online at www.tulsawinterfest.com. For more information or for group ice skating rates, please contact Connie Lytle, Group Sales Coordinator at (918) 894-4264 or clytle@smgtulsa.com. Visitors can log on to www.downtowntulsaok.com to check out the calendar of holiday events and plan their trip to downtown Tulsa.
For more information visit www.smgworld.com
