Why Jack Frost Winterfest won't be at the Charlottetown Event Grounds this year

Jack Frost Winterfest is moving to downtown Charlottetown, with the event spread out between five different venues. 

The decision to move the annual winter festival away from the Eastlink Centre and the Charlottetown Event Grounds — where it's been held in previous years — was made to bring all the festival's activities to a central location, said Heidi Zinn, executive director of Discover Charlottetown.

"We had a lot of great years at the Eastlink Centre in the event grounds and it was just time for change, time to try something new," Zinn said.

All the festival's main events will be within walking distance of each other, she said.

Bouncy castles and live entertainment

The Confederation Centre for the Arts will feature live entertainment, the Delta Hotel will have an indoor playland, which will feature the event's popular bouncy castles, and Founders' Food Hall and Market will be used as a warming zone with local food, drinks and crafts.

We felt that this was a really fun new way to bring a little bit of different and new life to the festival.— Heidi Zinn

There will also be a DJ and a fireworks display on Victoria Row.

"When you have all those spaces so close together, alive with entertainment and programming, it's just going to bring the whole city alive, which I think we were kind of missing in previous years," she said. 

Zinn said the "heart of the event," the Snow Kingdom, will be happening at Confederation Landing Park.  

"We felt that this was a really fun new way to bring a little bit of different and new life to the festival." 

This marks the 15th year the Jack Frost Festival will be held on the Island. The event takes place Feb. 14 to Feb. 17. 

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