Ames will be merry and bright this weekend for WinterFest and Snow Magic celebrations

The holiday season is off to a festive start this weekend with two major events in downtown Ames and on Iowa State’s campus.

Downtown Ames will celebrate its Snow Magic Kick Off from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday. It will feature tons of activities for kids, photo opportunities, carriage rides, a visit from Santa and lots of specials at businesses in the Main Street District.

WinterFest will also be held on the ISU campus Friday. The earliest event, an Art Mart at the Memorial Union Art Gallery, will begin at 11 a.m. and the latest events, free ice skating at the ice arena, ending at 10:30 p.m., and bowling and billiards ending at midnight.

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Snow Magic offers carriage rides, hot cocoa, ice carving

Free horse-drawn carriage rides will be offered from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., with pick-up and drop-off locations in front of the Octagon Center for the Arts at Fifth and Douglas and at The Depot between Nite Owl Printing and The Groom Room. Rides are one-way to allow other riders to get on at each stop.

Tom Evans Park will feature an inflatable snow globe, which is new to the celebration this year. It’s a photo opportunity, though, not a jump house.

Other opportunities for selfies and photos include an ice sculpture on the south side of Main and Douglas, which will be carved earlier in the day.

Santa and Mrs. Claus will be visiting with children at 301 Main St., and photos are encouraged there, too.

Other photo opportunities on the Snow Magin map include Duck Worth Wearing, Moose on the Loose and Back Alley Plants.

The ISU student organization, Count Me In a cappella group, is another new feature for Snow Magic. Starting at 6 p.m., find the vocalists performing a 30-minute set on the sidewalk in front of Sheldon Munn and on the south side of Main Street in that same area.

Many businesses in Ames’ Main Street District will be open late and will feature specials, treats and kids’ activities, such as coffee-filter snowflakes at Morning Bell Coffee Roasters and candy cane reindeer creations at PhotoSynthesis.

Hot cocoa will be served for free at Sweet Caroline’s and the Octagon Shop, while supplies last.

A story walk, presented by the Ames Public Library, will feature the book “So Much Snow.” It will lead from Douglas through Main Street and will be in place through Dec. 31.

For more information about store specials, treats and activities, visits Ames Main Street’s website at amesdowntown.org.

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ISU’s WinterFest boasts free ice skating, markets, magician

WinterFest is a student-run event with most activities free of charge.

Events kick off at 11 a.m. Friday, with an Art Mart at the Memorial Union, which will run until 7 p.m. Sales support individual artists, The Workspace and the Gaffer’s Guild.

The Jingle & Mingle Holiday Market, hosted by the Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship in collaboration with Iowa State University Winterfest, will be held on Central Campus from 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The market will feature a curated selection of holiday gift items showcasing handmade goods crafted by student and alumni entrepreneurs. Items range from custom stickers and stationery to clothing and home goods. The market will offer free hot cocoa and cookies. Dinner options and other beverages will be available for purchase.

Magician Trigg Watson will perform tech-infused magic in the Durham Great Hall. This show is free, open to the public and appropriate for all ages. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. for the 7 p.m. event.

Join Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen and her spouse, Robert Waggoner, for an open house in Beardshear Hall from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The event will include live music and complimentary snacks, beverages and ISU Creamery ice cream.

Free tours of the Campanile will be given from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., led by the Student Carillonneur Leadership Council.

Bowling and billiards games will be open from 4 p.m. to midnight at CyBowl & Billiards in the Memorial Union.

The Tree Lighting Ceremony will occur at 6 p.m. across from Beardshear Hall.

Horse-drawn carriage rides will take passengers past Lake Laverne from 6-9:30 p.m. Carriages will load in the west loop of the Memorial Union.

Free admission and skate rentals will be available to the first 800 participants at the Ames/ISU Ice Arena from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

For a full list of activities, visit the WinterFest website at studentengagement.iastate.edu.

Ronna Faaborg covers business and the arts for the Ames Tribune. Reach her at rlawless@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: WinterFest, Snow Magic kick off holiday season in Ames this weekend