Kringle Fest Gets ‘Amazing’ Response From The Public
December 3, 2023 at 4:13 p.m.
WINONA LAKE - Lines were long for each of the activities at the annual Kringle Fest in Winona Lake on Saturday.
Animal-Grams had a live reindeer - Silver Bells - on the front lawn of the Winona Heritage Room that people could pet and get their photo with.
Kona Ice had their truck parked in the parking lot next to the Heritage Room, which also was where people could jump aboard the train for a ride around The Village.
Spoonful of Imagination offered tables of crafts inside the building. Kids could bead and paint their own ornament, or help deck the “tree” by painting it. Next to the tables was face painting, which many children were eager to get.
In middle of the room was Santa Claus, taking time to visit with each kid and family as they came up through the line.
At the Holiday Shop, children could shop in secret for a loved one and have those presents wrapped.
Cookies and other goodies were available in one corner of the building.
Providing entertainment were performances by Debra Collier’s School of Dance and the Warsaw Community High School choir.
Winona Lake Limitless Park Director Holly Hummitch said Kringle Fest started in about 2011. It moved to the park building in 2015, and then back to the Winona Heritage Room this year.
“It has been amazing, definitely,” she said of Saturday’s turnout.
While Kringle Fest was 1 to 3 p.m., a sensory-friendly version of the holiday experience took place from 12 to 12:30 p.m.
“Basically, we didn’t have the loud music and the lights were dimmed. It was just a quieter, calmer (event) before the crowded chaos,” Hummitch explained.
Saturday’s event was sponsored by the Winona Lake Park Department.
Hadley Tolson (R), daughter of Dani and Anthony, gets her face painted during Saturday’s Kringle Fest in Winona Lake. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union
Lola Tenney (L), 5, and Jolene Spangle, 6, deck the tree provided by Spoonful of Imagination Saturday at Kringle Fest in Winona Lake. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union
Santa Claus visited with children and their families Saturday at Kringle Fest in Winona Lake. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union
WINONA LAKE - Lines were long for each of the activities at the annual Kringle Fest in Winona Lake on Saturday.
Animal-Grams had a live reindeer - Silver Bells - on the front lawn of the Winona Heritage Room that people could pet and get their photo with.
Kona Ice had their truck parked in the parking lot next to the Heritage Room, which also was where people could jump aboard the train for a ride around The Village.
Spoonful of Imagination offered tables of crafts inside the building. Kids could bead and paint their own ornament, or help deck the “tree” by painting it. Next to the tables was face painting, which many children were eager to get.
In middle of the room was Santa Claus, taking time to visit with each kid and family as they came up through the line.
At the Holiday Shop, children could shop in secret for a loved one and have those presents wrapped.
Cookies and other goodies were available in one corner of the building.
Providing entertainment were performances by Debra Collier’s School of Dance and the Warsaw Community High School choir.
Winona Lake Limitless Park Director Holly Hummitch said Kringle Fest started in about 2011. It moved to the park building in 2015, and then back to the Winona Heritage Room this year.
“It has been amazing, definitely,” she said of Saturday’s turnout.
While Kringle Fest was 1 to 3 p.m., a sensory-friendly version of the holiday experience took place from 12 to 12:30 p.m.
“Basically, we didn’t have the loud music and the lights were dimmed. It was just a quieter, calmer (event) before the crowded chaos,” Hummitch explained.
Saturday’s event was sponsored by the Winona Lake Park Department.
Hadley Tolson (R), daughter of Dani and Anthony, gets her face painted during Saturday’s Kringle Fest in Winona Lake. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union Lola Tenney (L), 5, and Jolene Spangle, 6, deck the tree provided by Spoonful of Imagination Saturday at Kringle Fest in Winona Lake. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union Santa Claus visited with children and their families Saturday at Kringle Fest in Winona Lake. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union