Winter festival kicks off holiday season in downtown Edmonton

104 Street was filled with festive lights, music and winter patios on Saturday for the third-annual Winterval festival.

Efforts to revitalize the downtown core have taken a festive turn with a third-annual winter-themed event.

The Edmonton Downtown Business Association (EDBA) is expecting 10,000 people for Winterval on 104 Street. EDBA marketing director Quinn Phillips said the warmer weekend weather has made for a pleasant time.

“This is really our opportunity to bring people downtown, create some vibrancy downtown, support our businesses downtown, and really kick off the holiday season,” she said on Saturday.

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Winterval featured Santa’s sleigh and reindeer for photo opportunities among the festive lights, music and winter patios.

The EDBA also set up street hockey to give kids something else to do, Phillips said.

“This is kind of like our one big event of the winter season,” she added.

Winterval runs until 8 p.m. A full list of the businesses participating can be found online.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Galen McDougall