Winterfest plans variety of locations

Veterans Park has no power

A plan is in place to spread out the events of Lorain’s Waterfront Winterfest holiday lighting ceremony on Nov. 24.

A number of locations will host the activities and people that combine to form downtown Lorain’s opening of the holiday season.

The changes are needed because a flooded vault zapped electrical power at Lorain’s Veterans Park, which for years has been a central gathering area for music, singing and throwing the switch to turn on the lights.

“Hopefully, we put this thing together,” said Waterfront Winterfest Chairman Steve Bansek. “We didn’t feel we could cancel, but trying to put it together scattered, instead of one central location, made a difference.”

Members of the Waterfront Winterfest Planning Committee met Nov. 5 to work out the times and places for the various elements.

Bansek gave an outline of where things will be.

A DJ will begin playing Christmas music at 5 p.m. at Black River Landing.

There will not be a formal parade this year.

Santa Claus will arrive at 5:30 p.m. at Black River Landing with the Lorain Fire Department and the Lorain High School Marching Band.

Fireworks will start at 6 p.m. and crews will launch them from the southern end of Black River Landing. The northern area of Black River Landing is the best place to gather to watch them.

Bansek said there will be limited parking on the west end of Black River Landing.

Pictures with Santa will start after 6 p.m. at the Lorain Palace Theater, 617 Broadway.

After the fireworks, the Lorain High Marching Band will lead the walk from Black River Landing back up to Broadway.

Northwest Bank, 457 Broadway, will have an ice sculpture in the parking lot off Broadway. When completed, the carving will serve a photo backdrop for visitors.

A reindeer petting zoo will be at Eighth Street and Broadway where the former Ghoulardi’s building was.

Various superheroes will walk around Black River Landing. They also will escort Santa Claus to that location.

The International Tree & Model Train Display will open at the Black River Landing Transportation Center, 421 Black River Lane.

Organizers will put Santa’s Story Land at the Northwest Bank annex, 453 Broadway.

The Lorain Public Library System Main Branch, 351 W. Sixth St., will have a Princess Party with crafts at 6 p.m. Windjammers Big Band will play there from 7 to 9 p.m.

The Lorain Arts Council will open at 737 Broadway.

Pop-up shops with vendors will show their wares in the Duane Building, 401 Broadway.

There will be lights on Lorain City Hall and a new 11½ foot lighted Christmas tree will be set up at Trolley Park, the area on the northeast corner of Broadway and Erie Avenue.

Lorain High School welding students have created a number of snowmen sculptures that will sit around Black River Landing.

“They’re varying sizes,” Bansek said. “They did a heck of a job, the kids did. You have to see it to believe it.”

Waterfront Winterfest committee members are excited for the new Broadway streetscape project, he said.

The city is planning the work to bring new lights, sidewalks, signage and traffic flow to Broadway from West Erie Avenue to 10th Street.

However, with the changes coming to Broadway, the committee is raising money to buy new lights and decorations once the streetscape is complete, Bansek said.

“With the new streetscape happening and everything else, there’s just a lot we need to replace,” he said.

The lights are expensive because they are mounted outside and must be commercial grade lights and connections, Bansek said.

They are not the same as the cheaper lights available for indoor home use, he said.

Sponsorships still are available with contact information through lorainwinterfest.com.

Anyone who is interested in performing as main stage entertainment may contact Waterfront Winterfest committee member Vel Deaton at 440-773-4048.