Royal Oak’s Winter Blast rescheduled due to cold weather

Organizers have pushed the winter festival back two weeks

Jan 25, 2023 at 10:59 am

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Courtesy of Winter Blast

The Winter Blast will return to Royal Oak in February 2023.

The Royal Oak Winter Blast has been rescheduled due to impending weather, according to event organizers.

Originally slated for Friday, Feb. 3-Sunday, Feb. 5, organizers have pushed the winter festival back two weeks so attendees and vendors won’t have to deal with frigid temperatures.

The Winter Blast will now take place Friday, Feb. 17-Sunday, Feb. 19.

“Winter Blast is a much-anticipated event that offers an abundance of seasonal, outdoor experiences courtesy of so many entities — from the downtown small businesses to musicians to food truck operators and more — it’s a big investment for everyone involved,” said Jon Witz, Winter Blast Royal Oak event producer, in a press release.

Witz added, “Our goal is to deliver an event that is as successful and safe as possible, and if we have the opportunity to move away from a weekend that could deliver bitter cold temps, we want to make that move. The same level of programming and entertainment will remain in place for the new weekend.”

More information is available at winterblast.com.

Slideshow

30 reasons to love winter in metro Detroit

Head to Winter Blast No, a “winter blast” isn’t only what hits your face whenever you step outside these days. Downtown Detroit’s long-standing seasonal festival was moved to Royal Oak in 2021 due to what organizers blamed on “funding challenges,” and the wintry celebration returns to the suburb’s Centennial Commons (between Main and Troy Streets and 11 Mile Road and 3rd Street) from Friday, Feb. 17 through Sunday, Feb. 19. Guests can go ice-skating in an outdoor rink, learn to ski, or take a ride down the snow slide or zip line. There will also be ice sculptures, kid-friendly activities, live music, food trucks, and vendors, with warming zones and marshmallow roasting stations available. Admission is free and open to the public, and more information is available at winterblast.com. —Lee DeVitoEditor's note: The Winter Blast was originally slated for Friday, Feb. 3 through Saturday, Feb. 5. Organizers postponed the festival two weeks due to impending weather.

Enjoy s’mores at Valade ParkValade Park on the Detroit riverfront is loaded with daily winter activities like sledding, oversized bonfires, s’mores, hot boozy and non-boozy drinks, food, and more. Every Saturday and Sunday from now through February, the park hosts wellness events like meditative walks, a dog pack meetup with Canine to Five, and hustle classes. There are also themed weekends like “Winter around the World” with an international food truck rally and performances, “Motown Love” with local vendors and an open mic, and “Mardi Gras.” Plus, all the events are free to attend. —Randiah Camille Green

Experience curlingWe have to admit, we became absolutely entranced by the strange sport of curling while watching the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, where players slide stones across a sheet of ice toward a target, using tools to guide the stone’s movement by subtly altering the surface of the ice. Well, now we — and you — can try it out. A new $10 million facility called the HUB Stadium in Novi bills itself as the only place in Michigan for the general public to try curling. The 70,000-square-foot facility includes six curling sheets. The HUB Stadium is located at 44325 W. 12 Mile Rd., at the Fountain Walk mall. More information is available at novi.thehubstadium.com. —Lee DeVito

Try snowmobilingMichigan has more than 6,000 miles of trails for snowmobilers to enjoy. Haven’t yet had the pleasure? The Michigan Department of Natural Resources announced a free snowmobiling weekend on Feb. 11 and 12 where it is temporarily suspending the requirement for snowmobile registration and permits, the idea being to encourage experienced snowmobilers to bring along friends to try it out for the first time. (Just remember to please drive carefully!) —Lee DeVito

Stay in a warm cabinEscaping up north to a warm cabin in the middle of a snowy forest is one of the best things about living in Michigan in winter; extra points if the cabin has a hot tub, sauna, or indoor fireplace. There’s just something about leaving your everyday life behind for a rustic one (at least temporarily) that warms the soul, especially after a day of skiing or hiking. You don’t even have to go all the way to the Upper Peninsula to find a secluded cabin, although you totally should. Michigan State Parks like Brighton Recreation Area, Pinckney Recreation Area, and Bald Mountain offer affordable rustic cabins and yurts not too far from metro Detroit. You can reserve them through the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, though the online booking system leaves much to be desired, so you may want to just call the park instead. You can also find everything from swanky shipping container homes to geodesic domes and classic chalets on Airbnb. —Randiah Camille Green

Rummage for a book from John King bookstoreThere’s nothing like cozying up to a good book in the winter, and there’s no place quite like John K. King Used & Rare Books in Detroit to find a good read. With more than 1 million books on multiple floors, you could spend an afternoon perusing the shelves. And the staff is super knowledgeable if you’re looking for recommendations. Chances are, you’ll leave with a box full of books and have reading material for the rest of the winter. —Steve Neavling

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Things to Do winter activites skiing snowboarding winter festival igloo ice sculpture metro detroit sledding Detroit sledding

About The Author

Alex Washington

Born and raised on Detroit's Westside, Alex Washington is about as Detroit as they come. She judges your coney island order and serves a mean side-eye when anything across Eight Mile is called "Detroit." Her writing has been published in Real Detroit Weekly, The Detroit Free Press, Model D, BLAC magazine, and...