Over the weekend it truly felt like winter with temperatures below 40 degrees. So far this season has felt more like a mild fall than a winter wonderland. Finally, a blustering chill in the air with the promise of snow at some point this season. It was the perfect time to visit the new Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest.
The RiverRink in years passed was simply that, an olympic sized ice skating rink open throughout the winter. What I experienced on Saturday was a far cry from just a skating rink. Philadelphia managed to create a wintery atmosphere. A respite for singles, families, men, women, and people of all ages. The comfortable, friendly, warm, and inviting setting was decorated in twinkling lights and filled with winter plants and trees.
The grounds included a small stand for the Franklin Fountain that reminded me of one of my favorite scenes in the movie Frozen, the Wandering Oaken’s Trading Post complete with a wooden shingled roof. This hut sells Franklin favorites including delicious homemade baked goods, hot chocolate, and fresh ice cream.
Winterfest offers winter warming cottages, three walled individual lodges each with a unique design including soft furniture and fireplaces. Groups of people sat and snacked on food or played Jenga in a semi private room that can be reserved during peak hours.
Five fire pits with chairs and tables were filled with people laughing, keeping warm, and enjoying each other’s company. At night these marvelous pits were used to roast homemade marshmallows purchased at the Franklin Fountain.
My favorite part of the whole experience was the cozy Lodge. Inside, the Garces Group offers an array of delicious options from burgers to taco’s and an entire kid’s menu. Sofas, love seats, tables, and fireplaces create the feeling of being on vacation, taking a rest from the winter sports. Friends and families gathered, soaking up their surroundings, visiting, and enjoying the beautiful day. The lodge has a wrap around porch with wooden rocking chairs where you can sit and relax. I must have sat on a rocking chair for an hour under a heat lamp, warm and comfortable.
The skating rink is all the more exciting knowing that when you take a break there is so much to enjoy on the woodsy grounds. I was able to visit the rink during the afternoon and stayed until it got dark. The smells, the feel of the mulch under my feet, camp side activities brought me right back to my grandparents house in the Adirondack’s. I felt as if I was tucked away in the woods, peaceful, calm. It was evident that everyone there young to old were enjoying themselves, happy just to be there. Children were running and playing, while parents watched with smiles on their faces.
This is a Philadelphia treasure, one that must be experienced multiple times in the season. The Winterfest runs until February 28, 2016 and is open seven days a week. I plan on visiting again this weekend!
