The Raleigh Winterfest and the Mayor’s Tree Lighting Festival in downtown Raleigh was Saturday, Dec. 5 2015, from 3 to 10 p.m. The Raleigh Winterfest is produced by the Downtown Raleigh Alliance (DRA) and brings thousands of people downtown to celebrate the holidays.

“I work at the ice rink for Winterfest. For those who don’t know how to skate, this is a good environment to come on out and learn how,” said Sydney Vaught, junior.

The event features an outdoor skating rink from Nov. 21 to Jan. 31, 2016. Admissions, including the skate rental, is 10 dollars for adults and children five and under are five dollars. The Ipreo Raleigh Winterfest Ice Rink is the only outdoor rink in Raleigh with real ice. Socks, gloves and hats can be bought with admission tickets. The maximum capacity of the rink is 140 skaters and is open for private parties and field trips with an advanced notice. The rink is closed on Mondays for these private parties. Group rates (20+ people) get discounts, and forms of payment include cash, VISA, Mastercard and Discover.

“This is an opportunity for people who are looking for something new that they are not used to. Even I am new to skating. The ice rink being a fun and family oriented addition to the events that will go on at Winterfest,” Vaught said.

A ferris wheel, carousel, super slide, food lion shopping cart race, carnival games, Santa’s village and gingerbread house competitions are all free events that participants took part in during Winterfest. Voting for the best Gingerbread house began at 3:30 p.m. and lasted until 9 p.m with winners announced between 8:30 and 9 p.m. There were different entry categories and an auction where a portion of the proceeds were donated to Triangle Family Services.

Additionally, local bands such as Nuclear Honey and American Aquarium played on stage during Winterfest. According to Independent Weekly, Nuclear Honey is a band with folk melodies and unfettered guitar arrangements. American Aquarium’s website illustrates that their band’s music sound is rock and roll with songs that have “biographical lyrics about last calls, lost love and long horizons.” The event will also feature school bands, choirs and a music headliner singing christmas carols.

The mayor, Nancy McFarlane, lit up a 40-foot tree with 14,000 lights for the Mayor’s Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony at 7 p.m in from of almost, the expected attendance was 30,000 people this year. Upcoming holiday events for Raleigh are Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer the Musical at the Fletcher Opera Theater until Dec. 20, and the Nutcracker at the Memorial Auditorium Dec. 18-27.