When: Select nights November 17, 2023 to January 1, 2024
Gather with friends and family to make lifelong memories at Carowinds’ WinterFest, the Carolinas’ most immersive holiday event. Savor the season with festive ambience, and fun holiday activities at WinterFest.
Celebrate the holiday season at Carowinds with holiday light displays replete with millions of shimmering lights, ice skating, family activities, live entertainment, holiday-inspired comfort food and beverages, and select attractions. Find the perfect present at specialty holiday gift shops, play holiday-themed games, and catch the season’s festive live entertainment.
Embrace the season with holiday music from crooning carolers, and find joy in Christmas activities and holiday attractions for the entire family. Help children write letters to Santa and watch their eyes grow as thousands of glimmering holiday lights appear during the Carowinds’ Christmas tree lighting, one of the largest in the area.
Family activities
Carowinds’ WinterFest offers family-friendly activities, including Santa’s Christmas Cabin for photos with Santa Claus, ice skating on Snow Flake Lake, North Pole Post Office for guests of all ages to create the perfect letter to Santa, and cookie decorating at Mrs. Claus’ Kitchen. New for this year is Tinker’s Reindeer Round-Up, where guests can join Tinker in a quest to save Christmas after Santa’s reindeer are set loose.
Live Shows
Guests will immerse themselves in the holiday spirit with festive live entertainment, including A PEANUTS Guide to Christmas, Cool Yule Christmas, Jingle Jazz, Polar Party, Snow and Glow, Sounds of the Nativity, The Down Home Duo, Tinker’s Toy Factory, Tree Lighting Ceremony, and TWAS: A Merry Mishap.
Wonderland Parade
After an evening of merriment, guests can enjoy the WinterFest Wonderland Parade, a nightly procession featuring lavishly decorated floats, festive music, and captivating performers. The parade starts at 9:00 p.m. in Celebration Plaza, with show stops in Celebration Plaza, Thrill Zone, and County Fair.
Rides
And up to 28 rides, including thrills like Air Racers, Copperhead Strike, Fury 325, and family-friendly attractions like Flying Ace Balloon Race, will be operating to add to the festive fun.
Seasonal Treats
Executive Chef John Loukas has curated a festive menu featuring returning guest favorites such as holiday pull-apart bread and gourmet hot chocolate at Shake Central. New offerings include the bacon cinnamon roll, shrimp and crawfish étouffée, and white Christmas chicken pizza. Hot chocolate enthusiasts will find offerings throughout the park, with an option for refillable souvenir mugs featuring artwork by 12-year-old Alaina Koroskenyi of South Carolina. The design contest was conducted in partnership with A Kid Again, a non-profit dedicated to children with life-threatening conditions.
Merry Cocktails
For those seeking a unique holiday experience, check out the all-new Tacky Sweater Bar, an over-the-top bar adorned with Christmas decor featuring a selection of unique cocktails.
For ticket information and event details, please visit Tickets & Admission | WinterFest | Carowinds.
