Claire Tate (left) meeting Santa at the gingerbread village during the 2021 version of Winterfest. (Submitted/Emily Tait)

By Jordan Davidson

tis the season

Winterfest kick-starting the holiday season in downtown Nanaimo

Dec 2, 2023 | 5:54 AM

NANAIMO — Santa will be in the Harbour City this weekend helping to kick off three week’s worth of Christmas festivities.

The third edition of Winterfest starts on Saturday, Dec. 2, with late-night shopping, Christmas markets and more converging on Downtown Nanaimo, with Commercial St. being the focal point.

Executive Director of the Downtown Nanaimo Business Association Roberta Bowman said they were excited to welcome the event back after two successful years.

“Families thoroughly enjoy it. Santa is very popular with the children of course, and he is excited to be coming down from the North Pole again this year to visit with the children and to see what they all want for Christmas.”

Bowman said Santa will be in his big chair on Dec 2-3, 9-10, and 16-17 at 234 Commercial St., across from the RBC, from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. each day.

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Jolly Old St. Nick will also give his reindeer a night off as he hops on a floatplane when he arrives in Nanaimo next weekend.

“Next Saturday (Dec.10) morning, Santa will be flying in with Harbour Air. We encourage all families to come down and greet Santa as he flies in,” said Bowman. “Santa will be arriving in the harbour at 10:30 a.m. and then will be walking up to 234 Commercial St., and he invites all the families and children to walk with him up to his chair.”

Participating downtown businesses will also be open late on Thursday, Dec. 7, 14, and 21 until 8 p.m.

There will also be entertainment, carolers, food trucks, and a mobile bar at Diana Krall Plaza.

A Winterfest artisan market will also be held inside the Vancouver Island Conference Centre on Dec. 13 and 14 from 2 p.m. until 8 p.m., with free admission to get all of your Christmas shopping done.

More details on all the Winterfest activities in downtown Nanaimo can be found here on the City’s website.

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jordan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @JordanDHeyNow