Christmas is just three weeks away and the Downtown Aberdeen Association’s WinterFest 2025 has plenty of activities planned for Friday and Saturday to get you in the holiday spirit.
The 10th annual event gets underway Friday evening with the Trolley Express Light Tour from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Trolley riders are to gather at Springboard Coffee on I Street. The Holiday Market, featuring nearly 30 vendors, at the former Wiitiamaki Jeweler’s building and Grand Heron will also be open from 5: 30 until 8 p.m. Friday night.
Get up early Saturday morning for breakfast and photos with Santa at Messy Jessy’s from 9 until 11 a.m. The Holiday Market at the old Wiitamaki building and Grand Heron will be open from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Be sure to stop by the gingerbread house competition. Two dozen businesses are participating in the business challenge with proceeds going to their charity of choice.
Raffle tickets will also be on sale for $5 each. First prize is a Lake Quinault getaway package valued at $1,500; second prize is a “his” basket valued at $400; third prize a “hers” basket also valued at $400; fourth prize is a bicycle valued at $200; and the fifth prize is pillow from Mattress Ranch valued at $110. The winners do not need to be present. The drawing will take place at the close of WinterFest.
Two Christmas elves, Bobbi and Bette, stopped by The Daily World to discuss all the happenings at WinterFest 2025.
“It starts this Friday on I Street in downtown Aberdeen between Wishkah and Heron. It’s a way to kick off the holiday season with a free, fun, family event. They’re the ‘f’ words you can say in public,” Bobbi and Bette said. “(It kicks off with) the trolley ride to go look at Christmas lights. There will be cookies and hot cocoa, which is free. We’ll be entertained by the Goldenaires, which is an Aberdeen High School choral group.”
The Goldenaires will perform at different vendors throughout WinterFest.
As for breakfast with Santa, Bobbi and Bette said there are many activities surrounding that part of the event.
“Saturday we kickoff with breakfast at Messy Jessy’s. Breakfast is courtesy of the Windermere Foundation, they provide funds so we can provide a free breakfast for kids under 12, but we don’t turn anyone down if they can’t afford, we accept donations,” Bobbi and Bette said. “The Aberdeen Lions are preparing the breakfast, the Central Park Lions, they are serving the breakfast, Aberdeen library will have free books there. And pictures will be taken courtesy of Moyer Multimedia. He donates his time for that so pictures are free. Santa will be at breakfast.”
Bobbi and Bette added that 16 participants took part in a gingerbread house decorating class on Dec. 1 and they will be featured in the gingerbread house decorating competition.
Sponsors for WinterFest 2025 include:
Grays Harbor Title
Quigg and Co. Real Estate
Service Master
Windermere Foundation
Paymore Recycle
Glass Doctor
Aberdeen LTAC
Lochaerie Resort
Mattress Ranch
The Daily World file photo One of the standout business gingerbread houses last week was Side One Studios candy replica building, done by Dani Bacon, co-owner of the actual building. People stopped and stared at it in order to see all the little details, such as “The Green Room,” on the southwest corner of the building, the Moyer Multimedia logo that is in one of the windows, as well as the urban moss green paint that the much larger building at South K and West Wishkah streets is known for having.
