Jan. 31-Feb. 4: Winterfest returns to celebrate winter recreation
January 20, 2023 | By Waterbury Roundabout 
A Winterfest highlight is snow soccer at the State Office Complex. Photo by Gordon Miller
Waterbury’s wintertime tradition is just around the corner as organizers are lining up all the details for this year’s five-day Waterbury Winterfest.
From Wednesday, Jan. 31, through Sunday, Feb. 4., people of all ages should be able to find an indoor or outdoor wintertime activity that suits them and most likely some of their friends and family.
Now in its 13th year, Winterfest 2024’s schedule features many familiar and favorite events such as the family broomball tournament, Wassailing, Bluegrass Night at ProPig Brewery and the Vermont Beer Quiz at Blackback Pub. Outside activities include snow soccer, bocce and volleyball while indoor happenings run the gamut from beer and wine tastings to Vermont Candyland.
After a three-year hiatus, 2024 also marks the return of the popular Game Show on Friday evening, Feb. 2. New additions to the schedule include Monikers Merriment game night at Bridgeside Books on Saturday, Feb. 3, and a Cardboard Arcade hosted by MakerSphere on Sunday, Feb. 4.
“Winterfest allows people both from the community and from wherever else to discover the magic of winter in Waterbury,” said Roger Clapp, from the Winterfest leadership team. “It gives everyone an opportunity to support increasing access to recreation in the Waterbury area and really celebrate the longest season of the year.”
To the delight of Winterfest organizers, Vermont wintertime temperatures have arrived in full force this week following several recent rounds of snow. The combination so far looks good for outdoor terrain to be snowy and frozen as needed for the outdoor Winterfest events.
Water Department staffer Kenny Ryan works on Wednesday at getting ice in at Anderson Park. Recreation Director Katarina Lisaius says it's not quite ready yet. Details will be posted soon. Photo by Gordon Miller
Waterbury Recreation staff this week were prepping the outdoor ice rink at Anderson Park that the Water Department flooded several days ago. Recreation Director Katarina Lisaius said that details about using the rink will be posted soon on the Waterbury Recreation website and Facebook page, as well as Waterbury Roundabout and Front Porch Forum. The rink is a key venue for the Winterfest Family Broomball Tournament on the Saturday, Feb. 3, schedule.
Since 2012, Waterbury Winterfest has been an annual volunteer-run, nonprofit multi-day effort providing indoor and outdoor winter recreation events that bring community members and visitors together to beat the mid-winter blues. All proceeds from events and sponsorships go towards scholarships and grants for community organizations to support recreational activities in Waterbury throughout the year.
The Waterbury Winterfest website, waterburywinterfest.com, has a full day-by-day schedule of activities that will be updated should there be any last-minute adjustments changes.
Winterfest broomball teams are in it to win it. Photo by Gordon Miller
A handful of events require advance registration for planning purposes or due to venue space limitations. Those include: Wassailing, Intro to TRX (Total Resistance Exercises), Family Broomball Tournament, Bocce Tournament, and Monikers Merriment. People interested in those events need to sign up in advance to ensure their spot. Game Show teams have already been selected and registered through a lottery.
Broomball teams have a registration fee of $10 per adult and $5 per child, and the bocce registration fee is $20 per team. All other events are free and open to everyone, with donations appreciated. Spectators are welcome and encouraged at all Winterfest events.
WATERBURY WINTERFEST 2024 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Wednesday, Jan. 31
5 p.m. – Bluegrass Night, Pro Pig Brewery
7:30 p.m. – VT Beer Quiz, Blackback Pub
Thursday, Feb. 1
6 p.m. – Wassailing, multiple venues
Friday, Feb. 2
4 p.m. – Wine Tasting, The Wine Vault on Elm Street
4 P.M – Beer Tasting, Craft Beer Cellar on Elm Street
6:30 p.m. – Game Show, American Legion Post #59
Saturday, Feb. 3
9 a.m. – Family Broomball Tournament, Anderson Park
9:30 a.m. – Intro to TRX with trainer Joey Clark at Dave’s Community Fitness
10 a.m. – Playing in the Park: Winter Fun for Kids, Rusty Parker Memorial Park
11 a.m. – PARTY IN THE PARK events, Rusty Parker Memorial Park and State Complex Horseshoe
1 p.m. – Exhibit Reception & Presentation: “The Roots of My Raising” with George Woodard, Jr., Steele Community Room at the municipal offices
6 p.m. – Monikers Merriment, Bridgeside Books
Sunday, Feb. 4
9:30 a.m. – Winter KidsFest, Waterbury Public Library
11 a.m. – Valentine Card-Making, Seminary Arts Center in Waterbury Center
11 a.m. – Connector Trail Descent: Ski & Snowshoe Tour, Blush Hill Country Club to Little River State Park
1 p.m. – Family-Friendly BINGO!, Waterbury Area Senior Center
2 p.m. – VT Candyland & Cardboard Arcade, Steele Community Room at the municipal offices
The Winterfest singing/entertainment competition of Wassailing holds its finale at the American Legion. Photo by Lisa Scagliotti