Winterfest success spurs plans for bigger and better

DUNDEE Winterfest will return in 2022 after the “huge success” of the Christmas market and fairground in its first year, the city council’s leader has confirmed.

The inaugural event saw Slessor Gardens play host to a big wheel, ice rink, stalls and children’s rides along with a Bavarian bar for the first time.

Although organisers have not yet revealed footfall figures, council leader John Alexander said: “I think the almost unanimous view, certainly from the conversations and feedback that I’ve seen, is that the new and expanded Christmas offering this year was a huge success.

“I managed to get down a couple of times with my own family and there was a real buzz about it.”

Winterfest was joined by other Christmas activities at City Square.

But the festivities were affected by the weather on a few occasions, including during Storm Arwen, which forced the opening day to be delayed.

The event also had to compete with tightened coronavirus restrictions including an instruction from the first minister to stay at home.

However, Mr Alexander said: “This year, perhaps more than any other, the city really needed a lift and the events and activities in December certainly did that.

“Between City Square and Slessor Gardens, Dundonians and visitors certainly enjoyed themselves and want to see such things continue to grow. These events will be back next year and this year, being the first, has given us a really strong foundation to build on and, hopefully, expand further.”

A post on the Winterfest Facebook page said: “It has been an absolute pleasure to organise Dundee’s first Christmas market and we would just like to say a massive thank you to all of our customers who have visited us from near and far, and also our amazing staff who have worked around the clock this Christmas.

“This is just the first year of Winterfest and we will be listening to our customer feedback to make next year even bigger and better.”

Work under way to dismantle the site.