Winterfest relocates to Peter Kirk Park

Winterfest is relocating to Peter Kirk Park this year in an effort to direct attendees to downtown Kirkland as part of Small Business Saturday.

“We’re really trying to make it a community event, not only for the people who live here and visit here, but the local businesses as well,” Kirkland Downtown Association Director Barbie Collins Young said, adding another benefit of the location is they won’t need to close any streets or divert traffic.

The festivities run from 3:30 to 6 p.m. Saturday and include Fred Herzberg as Santa and a performance from electric violinist Geoffrey Castle, in a preview of his December show at the Kirkland Performance Center.

“It will be a stripped-down version of the Celtic Christmas show,” Castle said.

Studio East and the Kirkland Middle School band are also scheduled to perform, and a tree lighting will take place at 5 p.m. at the corner of Central Way and Third Street.

This year’s Winterfest will have refreshments such as hot chocolate and cider provided by the Kirkland City Council, but there won’t be food vendors, in an effort to get attendees to patronize downtown businesses and restaurants. Young also hopes to bring some snow into the park for a sledding hill, which will be dependent on the weather.

Ahead of the festivities at Peter Kirk Park, there will be a special Small Business Saturday kickoff at noon in downtown Kirkland featuring remarks from Mayor Amy Walen, and a DJ will play holiday music throughout the day. The KDA also will have more of the downtown area decorated with holiday lights.

“It’s all put together by volunteers,” Young said, adding the KDA also received some funding for the lights from the city.

Attendees are encouraged to park in the Kirkland Library garage.

For more information, visit kirklanddowntown.org or find Kirkland Winterfest on Facebook.