The City of Penticton is announcing its newest outdoor event, Frost Fest Winter Carnival, coming to Gyro Park on Jan. 20, 2023.
The City’s Events team is working with local partners including BCHL, Apex Mountain Ski Resort, Apex Freestyle Club, Freeride Boardshop and the organizers of HaHaHa Kidzfest to present a high-energy festival in the heart of downtown Penticton for people of all ages.
“Penticton may be known for its beaches, lakes and summer activities, but more and more people are moving here because they’re realizing that the fun doesn’t end when the weather cools off,” says Mayor Julius Bloomfield. “It’s time we brought the community together for a free outdoor winter carnival to celebrate our vibrancy and all the ways we can enjoy the outdoors in the snow and on the ice this season.”
Frost Fest will feature a rail jam ski and snowboard competition, kids’ activities and craft stations, a sled hill, DJ, food trucks and beverage garden.
It takes place the same weekend as the BC Hockey League All-Star Weekend, which attracts the BCHL’s top prospects and NHL alumni to the Activate Penticton outdoor rink at Gyro Park and are free to watch. Spectators can walk between each of the activities and events throughout the day, which will also include warming stations.
Top skiers and snowboarders will “throwdown” their best tricks in the Downtown Throwdown Rail Jam event. For this competition, a custom rail jam structure is being built, totalling 17 feet high and roughly 100 feet long, covered in manmade snow, courtesy of Apex Mountain Resort. This is being run in partnership with Freeride Boardshop and Apex Freestyle Club, with help from Big Steel Box, Wildstone Construction, Home Hardware and Trademark Industries. Spectators are invited to watch the action from the sidelines or the beverage garden.
More details will be released in the coming weeks about the numerous family-friendly activity stations, which will be set up throughout the park. In addition, a snow sledding hill will be set up off the Gyro Park bandshell.
“Penticton has a long history of hosting incredible outdoor events, and yet, most of them take place during the peak summer months. Here’s our opportunity to give residents a reason to get outdoors and have some fun right here in downtown Penticton this winter,” says Jeff Plant, Sport and Event Supervisor. “Thank you to everyone who has helped make this event come together.”
Watch for event updates at penticton.ca/frost-fest.