AlexWinterFête Returns to Alexandria Dec. 9-12
Alexandria, La. (November 1, 2021) — The award-winning holiday festival AlexWinterFête returns to the City of Alexandria Dec. 9-12, offering a free, fun-filled, family-friendly festival filled with the activities that have made the event a major attraction, including ice skating, Santa’s village and a fireworks display.
“Through the years, AlexWinterFête has become recognized throughout the state as a signature holiday event,” said Alexandria Mayor Jeffrey W. Hall. “Unique activities you can’t get any place else, like the giant outdoor ice skating rink, have made AlexWinterFête a must-attend event not just for Central Louisiana residents, but for folks from throughout the state and even neighboring states.”
“AlexWinterFête has been tremendously popular in the past, and we are doing everything we can to ensure this year’s event is every bit as entertaining as previous festivals,” explained Marvinette Holly, interim director of Community Services. “We’ll have the ice skating and the fireworks, Jolly Junction, the multicultural village and the stilt walkers and fire breathers and live bands, arts and crafts vendors and great food that people have enjoyed in the past. We have also increased the spacing between vendors to facilitate social distancing.”
AlexWinterFête will open at 5 p.m. the evening of Dec. 9 with the traditional lighting of the city Christmas tree and Santa’s arrival in the Rapides Women’s & Children’s Hospital Santa’s Village at the Alexander Fulton Mini Park downtown on Third Street. Evening activities will wrap up at 10 p.m.
Activities resume at 4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 10, with retail, food and a variety of vendors ready to assist guests with their holiday shopping. Activities will include ice skating on the CHRISTUS Cabrini Ice Rink, the Rapides Women & Children’s Hospital Santa’s Village, children’s activities, street performers and live music on stage with the festival running until 11 p.m.
On Saturday, Dec. 11, the Fête will host the annual Rapides Urgent Care Ugly Sweater 5K run. Vendors and other AlexWinterFête activities will get started at 10 a.m. Saturday night’s activities will culminate with a spectacular fireworks show over the Red River at 10 p.m. with booths closing at 11 p.m.
Activities wrap up on Sunday, Dec. 12, with the Alexandria Mardi Gras Association Christmas Parade rolling downtown at 2 p.m.
The award-winning AlexWinterFête was recognized as the Festival of the Year in 2017 by the Louisiana Travel Promotion Association and in 2019 AlexWinterFête was voted Best Local Event in the Cenla’s Choice Awards competition.
For more information, visit the website www.alexwinterfete.com.
Contact:
Jim Smilie
Communications
318.449.5038
318.730.1683
jim.smilie@cityofalex.com
