Winterfest Is Happening But With Virtual Elements Due To Pandemic

People are ready to celebrate the holidays at Winterfest but there will be changes this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the prettiest holiday displays you see in El Paso is Winterfest, the City of El Paso's downtown celebration that includes twinkling lights, giant ornaments and plenty of holiday treats to enjoy. The event usually brings crowds of people to the downtown area which probably isn't the best idea right now. The nation is still in the middle of a pandemic, and places like El Paso are reporting some of the highest numbers of active cases we've seen since the pandemic began. With that in mind, it's not surprising that some of the in-person events usually seen during Winterfest have been canceled for this year. According to KFOX, the city's Director of Cultural Affairs Ben Fyffe explained in a presentation to the city council that there would be some changes to this year's festivities.

There won't be any ice skating at this year's events and also no big kick-off parade for Winterfest. Organizers will be putting a larger emphasis on virtual events attendees can enjoy at home rather than in person. Some of the activities you can enjoy include at-home guided arts and crafts, virtual performances, and more. Instead of the traditional 6-week Winterfest celebration, festivities were also condensed down to 4 weeks. Attendees are encouraged to drive by the downtown decorations or walk through while practicing social distancing. There has been no decision on whether or not the streetcar will be running during this year's Winterfest. To learn more about changes to this year's Winterfest celebration, please visit the KFOX website.