INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — It was a tough decision for thousands of children as they entered Winterfest at Pointe West Saturday afternoon – where to start? There was the snow mountain, the snow slides, the Penguin Pond, and, of course, Santa Claus.
Connor Harrington, 10, and three of his friends took to the 30-ton snow mountain where they pelted each other with snowballs as they bobbed and weaved around the dozens of other kids allowed on the mountain with them.
But the snowball fight didn’t end when they left the mountain. They each snagged handfuls of the snow and brought the snowball fight out into the park.
“It’s not enough fun at home,” Connor said of coming out to Winterfest instead of seeing his friends at home. “This is the only time I see snow.”
For eight years, the Harringtons have been coming to Winterfest, mainly because they live right around the corner from the event.
“They have a blast and dad gets a nap later,” Connor’s dad, Roger, said. “Where else in Florida can you have a snowball fight?”
Robin Cargill and her daughter, Christina, 11, stood an hour in line for the snow slides before they could race each other down the slope in inner tubes.
“It was worth it,” Cargill said of the wait.
“It makes me feel happy,” Christina said of being at Winterfest and experiencing the “snow.” She’s not seen real snow in her 11 years.
“It’s amazing,” Christina said.
Cargill said the family has attended the free Pointe West event every year since the start.
“It’s fun with snow,” she said, “and the weather couldn’t be better.”
The Cargills planned to tackle Penguin Pond next.
The Hogan family beat the Cargills to the pond – a silicone-treated flooring that acts kind of like ice but won’t melt under the Florida sun.
Eager to get out on the “ice” Eva Hogan, 9, laced up one skate while her dad, Joseph, worked on the other.
Once out on the rink, both Eva and her sister, Amanda, 10, struggled to stay upright.
“Think of it as roller skating,” their dad shouted out to them.
The sisters scooted to the edge of the rink and used the white picket fencing surrounding the rink to hold on to and keep their balance. Slowly, they made their way around the pond and back to Hogan.
“You look like you’re having a blast,” he said to Eva as she lost her balance and landed with a thud on the pond.
With a big grin, she said, “No!” and then began to giggle.
Hogan said his family has been attending Winterfest for five years because it’s free, family-friendly entertainment.
“It’s just the fun of it,” he said of why they keep coming back. “You can’t beat a day like this.”
On the other side of the Pointe West park was fun for those ready to warm up after hours in the snow.
Paul Parris, 6, sat patiently while his was face was turned into a ferocious-and-yet-still-cute tiger at the Face Painting booth.
“I like tigers,” he said shyly.
His favorite part of the day was the snow slide, which he said was “cool” – as in “awesome.”
“We just love it,” Paul’s mom, Nikki Parris, said of Winterfest.
Jaxon Clark, 4, and his dad, Jason, waited in line to see Santa Claus, the jolly ol’ elf who had already visited his school.
Jaxon wanted to make sure Santa had not forgotten what he wanted for Christmas – a double light saber from Star Wars.
Clark said they arrived early to Winterfest this year to get started on Snow Mountain before the sun’s heat turned it into slush.
“We’re very happy,” he said.
Surveying the throngs of people at the event, organizer Karen Mechling said she was happy with the turnout, and credited the Indian River County Recreation Department for handling parking and manning the activities.
“The man-power is all them,” she said.
Pointe West provides the location and finds the sponsors to underwrite the free community event and the county provides the people to keep the event running smoothly.
Mechling said the county couldn’t put on such an event without Pointe West and Pointe West couldn’t do it without the county.
“We all work together,” she said.