16th Annual Winter Festival Concludes This Weekend

By: Elizabeth Bartek
Posted In: Entertainment

With just a month left of winter, it’s time to get outside! Temperatures are slowly starting to climb and Newport is holding the 16th annual Newport Winter Festival. The 10-day event concludes this weekend with activities for all.

The Winter Festival was created in 1989 and was planned to develop off-season business for the city of Newport. In the last 15 years, the Festival has grown considerably from eight events to over 160 events planned for this year.

Visitors can purchase a Winter Festival button and receive free admission to most events and big discounts through Sunday, February 22nd. Buttons are available at the Gateway Center, Shaw’s or Walgreen’s, and are $6.00 each.

Andrea Dillinger, Special Events Coordinator for the Winter Festival, said there are a lot of events for Salve students to enjoy. With over 20,000 slices of pizza to be devoured at the 3rd Annual Pizza Cook-Off on Saturday, the festival is sure to be a good time for all.

“What’s better than all you can eat, and for free?” asks Dillinger excitedly.

Loca, a restaurant on Long Wharf, has a Taco Bar on Thursday and Friday nights where you can make your own tacos and play a game of pool, free with a Winter Festival button.

Finally, Brick Alley Pub is holding the 16th Annual Nacho Tasting, also free with a Winter Festival button.

After all that free food, you can dance the night away on Thursday night with “The Ravers,” a local reggae/rock band. The show starts at 9:30 P.M. at Studio 3, above One Pelham East.

Ten tons of snow! On Saturday, 10 tons of snow will be chillin’ (pun intended) under the big tent on Bowen’s Wharf for Snow Sculpting. Join a team or sit back and enjoy the show.

Or, if snow isn’t your thing, how about pancakes? IHOP is holding a pancake-eating contest on Saturday at 4:30 P.M. The winner receives a $100 IHOP gift certificate and a Winter Festival package. Call (401) 847-7666 to enter the contest.

The Newport Winter Festival is titled “New England’s Largest Winter Extravaganza.” During the winter festival, competitions take place and winners are named for “Best Chili,” “Best Tropical Drink,” “Best Chilled Drink,” “Best Hot Drink,” “Best Pizza,” and others.

The spirit of Newport comes alive during the festival and it gives a chance for native islanders to enjoy the waterfront without summer tourists. The winter months can be tough in Newport as we all know, but the weather is warming up and it’s time to head outside to the Newport Winter Festival this weekend.