Winter Village Opens At Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park

TAMPA, FL — Tampa might lack the snow, but it's certainly beginning to look a lot like the holiday season with the opening of the annual Winter Village at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park at 600 N Ashley Drive in downtown Tampa.

The Winter Village, sponsored by the Tampa Bay Lightning, will continue daily through Jan. 4, offering an ice-skating rink, seasonal food and drink vendors, thousands of lights and other holiday decor, Santa sightings and the Curtis Hixon Choo-Choo miniature train.

Ice Skating

Families can try their hand at the ice skating at the 5,000-square-foot ice-skating rink at Winter Village. Click here for tickets for ice skating. The cost is $17 and includes skate rentals. Click here for rink hours.

Holiday Movies On The Lawn

parkCINEMA is a F. E. Lykes Foundation project in partnership with the Tampa Theatre Moving Picture Show, bringing free outdoor movies to public parks several times a year.

As part of the Tampa Downtown Partnership’s annual Winter Village, the Tampa Theatre will offer two free holiday movies on the lawn at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park.

The 2011 family comedy, "Arthur Christmas," will be shown Saturday, Nov. 19 at 6 p.m., and the 2011 family movie, "A Christmas Carol," will be shown Dec. 16 at 6 p.m.

Cafe At Winter Village

The Cafe at Winter Village features Icicles Craft Cocktails, Icicles Craft Kitchen, Kahwa Coffee and Whatever Pops.

Winter Village Shops

The Winter Village Shops offer holiday shoppers an affordable retail experience with local sellers of garments, personal products, artisan goods and gourmet packaged foods.

Curling

Curling will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. RecRec and Shuffle Tampa are working with the Tampa Downtown Partnership and Cigar City Brewing to bring Winter Village’s inaugural curling league, beginning on Wednesday, Nov. 30, and running through Wednesday, Dec. 28. Games will occur every Wednesday from 6 to 10 p.m. Team registration is $200. Click here.

Winter Village Express

Hop aboard the Winter Village Express (TECO Line Streetcar) and experience a holiday trip through Tampa’s downtown. This interactive experience takes visitors from Whiting Station to the historic city of Ybor and back just in time for more Winter Village Tampa fun. Enjoy cookies and milk on board (no additional charge), as well as entertainment like group trivia, stories and sing-alongs. Dates are Nov. 20 and 27, Dec. 4, 11 and 18. Tickets are $10. Click here.

Special Events

Special events taking place during Winter Village include:

Santa sightings: He’s making a list and checking it twice, but not before making a few surprise visits at Winter Village. Stay tuned to the @WinterVillageTampa Facebook and Instagram pages for clues as to what times you might be able to catch a glimpse of the man in red yourself. Bring your camera and prepare for a Santa experience like no other. Visits will take place Dec. 2, Dec. 9 and Dec. 16.

Tampa's Santa Fest

The 2022 Santa Fest returns to Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park Dec. 3, followed by the annual Tampa Tree Lighting.

The parade steps off at 1 p.m. at Morgan and Madison streets. It travels west on Madison Street to Ashley Drive, turns north and ends at Ashley Drive and Cass Street. The best viewing is along Madison Street.

After the parade, come by Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park for Santa Fest entertainment and activities from 1 to 4 p.m. Stay for Tampa's Tree Lighting ceremony. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor will join Santa Claus in lighting up the tree at 6 p.m.

11th Annual Winter Wonder Ride

The Winter Wonder Ride is a holiday-themed bike ride through Tampa's downtown on Dec. 10 starting at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park at 2 p.m.

Every December, more than 5,000 riders set out down Bayshore Boulevard before heading to Curtis Hixon Park for a post-ride concert featuring LOCASH.

Click here to register and for tickets.

Lighted Boat Parade

The Friends of the Riverwalk will present Tampa’s largest lighted boat parade Saturday, Dec. 17 at 6 p.m. This event will happen along the Hillsborough River in downtown Tampa.

The parade begins at the southern tip of Davis Islands, travels through the Convention Center basin and up to the Heights where the boats will turn around and head to Sparkman Wharf for judging and a celebration.

Click here to register to participate.