Newton Community Pride Announces Upcoming WinterFEST

NEWTON, MA — Newton Community Pride has announced the launch of WinterFEST, a new city-wide event scheduled to take place on Feb. 12 and 13 in Newton Highlands, Cold Springs Park, and Newton Centre.

The outdoor festival will be filled with wintertime family-friendly fun, including live music, activities, food , shopping, and more.

“We are thrilled to bring WinterFEST this year to the city of Newton,” said Gloria Gavris, Board Chair of Newton Community Pride, in a statement. "This brand-new event will provide free and accessible family entertainment, whimsy and winter fun for all to enjoy. At NCP, we love thinking of new programming that we can bring to the city. Many cold weather cities and towns have winter carnivals and festivals, why not Newton?”

On Saturday, February 12th from 5:30 to 8 p.m., the Hyde Community Center and the
Highlands Area Council will host a Community Soup Social at the Hyde Playground. There will be hot bowls of soup provided by local restaurants and served by Newton notables, live music from Newton North High School’s Melocotones, dancing, and hot chocolate and cookies provided by Olaf from Frozen.

On Sunday morning, the Newton Conservators will lead a family friendly, dog friendly winter walk around the 1.5-mile wooded trail of Cold Springs Park. Participants are asked to meet at 10 a.m. at the 1094 Beacon Street entrance and proceed around toward the left at the trail entrance near the sports fields. Hot chocolate, coffee and sweets will be provided at the end of the walk.

On Sunday afternoon from 12 to 5 p.m., Newton Centre will come alive with festive lights
and family activities, including a live ice sculpting demonstration of a five-foot polar bear from 1 to 3 p.m. by Images in Ice and live music by the award-winning Boston College acapella group The Acoustics from 3 to 4 p.m. Shopping will be available throughout the day at a Winter Pop Market.

WinterFEST is presented by The Village Bank with support from a Festival Grant from the Mass
Cultural Council, and in partnership with the Hyde Community Center and Newton’s Park,
Recreation and Culture Department.