OCEAN CITY – The 22nd Annual Winterfest of Lights concluded earlier this month with record breaking attendance and revenue.
At the Tourism Commission meeting on Monday afternoon, Special Events Director Frank Miller announced Winterfest of Lights in 2014 as well as the New Year’s Eve fireworks show at Northside Park were a major success.
The 22nd Annual Winterfest of Lights at Northside Park was on display for five weeks ending at the turn of the New Year.
“We ended on a high note,” Miller said.
In 2014, Winterfest recorded a daily average attendance of about 2,400 guests. Overall, Winterfest was attended by just over 111,000 guests, representing a 20-percent increase of 19,000 guests from 2013.
The event produced $557,000 in revenue, which is an increase of $79,000 from last year. According to Miller, revenue was up across the board with an increase in advance sales at the Convention Center and at Northside Park as well as an increase of ticket sales on site, gift shop sales, photos with Santa and concessions.
“We had a banner year and will become a benchmark for future years as we approach our 25th Anniversary in 2017. It was a terrific event,” Miller said.
The final days of Winterfest were met with the New Year’s Eve fireworks show at Northside Park. This was the third year the town set off fireworks at midnight to bring in the New Year.
Although the town cannot give a specific count of guests for this event, conservatively Miller estimated 4,000 to 5,000 residents and visitors watched the fireworks from nearby hotels, condos and neighborhoods and with about 3,000 on site.
According to Mayor Rick Meehan, many visitors to the Mayor’s Open House the next day who live in surrounding neighborhoods complimented the town on the fireworks.
“We would like to slowly make it into a New Year’s Eve celebration that night instead of just Winterfest and fireworks. If anybody was there, you saw a little bit of that flavor happening with the DJ starting earlier this year, and the LED light displays that were portraying abstract graphics going along with music that gave that New Year’s Eve celebration feel instead of that holiday feel,” Miller said.
Named a prestigious Top 100 Event for 2013 by American Bus Association and voted “Maryland’s Finest Holiday Tradition” by Maryland Life Magazine, Winterfest of Lights is a winter paradise for the whole family to enjoy.
At Winterfest of Light the Winterfest Express takes guests on a ride through a mile-long animated wonderland of dazzling lights and spectacular displays, including the Twelve Days of Christmas and additional fairytale favorites. Christmas carols float through the air and throughout the Winterfest Village, which is located inside a festive and heated pavilion.
To celebrate the spirit of the season, visitors can sip hot chocolate from The OC Recreation Boosters Café, browse the Yukon Cornelius Gift Shop or have their photo taken with Santa.
In 2013, Winterfest of Lights was attended by 91,748, which was a 4-percent drop from 2012. However, the average daily attendance was up with 2,185 guests
At the time, 2012 was the second highest Winterfest attendance with 95,559 guests. The 2011 event held the highest attendance on record with 107,405 guests until the most recent event.