Winter Wonderland Returns to Downtown Bradenton for 17th Year

BRADENTON -- Snow mountains, a festive street party and Santa Claus return this weekend to downtown Bradenton for the 17th Annual Winter Wonderland festival.

The family-friendly party on Old Main Street is scheduled for 5-9 p.m. Saturday with food, arts and crafts vendors, along with games for kids, hay rides and more. The event’s signature attraction, the snow sledding mountains, will be in the parking lot north of Old Main Pub. There also will be a miniature mountain for toddlers who want to sled.

Santa and Mrs. Claus will be es­corted down Old Main Street around 6 p.m. Saturday to the entrance of Westminster Courtyard, 222 Old Main St., where they will meet with visitors until about 8:30 p.m.

Bradenton Yacht Club’s 15th Annual Holiday Boat Parade begins at 6:30 p.m. Saturday and is ex­pected to pass the downtown waterfront between 8-8:30 p.m.

The Arthritis Foundation’s 17th Annual Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis kicks off this special weekend with a race/walk at 7 p.m. Friday along the downtown riverfront. Registration starts at 5 p.m. Click here for info.

Bradenton Councilwoman Marianne Barnebey is the founder and organizer of Winter Wonderland. For more info contact her at 941-932-9449 or Marianne.barnebey@cityofbradenton.com.