Public Square to Shine Bright as Downtown Cleveland Gets Ready to Kick Off Holiday Season

CLEVELAND — Downtown Cleveland, Inc. is gearing up to ring in the holiday season with its annual WinterLand Tree Lighting Festival on Saturday, Nov. 30, bringing Clevelanders a day full of festive activities, live entertainment, and the highly anticipated lighting of Public Square’s holiday tree. This celebration, presented by K&D Group, has long been a Cleveland holiday tradition, drawing crowds to the city’s core to experience a vibrant start to the winter season.

"WinterLand is more than just a tree lighting; it’s a staple in thousands of Clevelanders’ holiday traditions for nearly 40 years," said Michael Deemer, President and CEO of Downtown Cleveland. "Each year, we look forward to welcoming the community to the heart of our city for this joyous occasion that fills every corner of downtown with holiday spirit and excitement."

Alongside WinterLand, Tower City Center, operated by Bedrock, will be hosting a variety of festive experiences throughout November and December. New and returning holiday-themed attractions will be offered for all ages, further enhancing Cleveland’s holiday appeal.

WinterLand Tree Lighting Festival Schedule – Public Square

• 3 p.m. – Food trucks, DJ, face painting, ice skating, and holiday wreath toss

• 4 p.m. – SHOUT! Band

• 4:30 p.m. – Ice skating show followed by “Skate with the Stars”

• 5 p.m. – Pop Fusion Dance Party

• 5:30 p.m. – Cleveland All City Musical

• 6 p.m. – Tree Lighting Ceremony

• Immediately following the Tree Lighting Ceremony – Fireworks Spectacular

Partner Events Throughout Downtown

• 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. – Cleveland Public Library Merry Maker Fest

• 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. – 5th Street Arcade Maker Market

• 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. – WinterLand at Tower City

• 1:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. – A Christmas Carol at Playhouse Square

Holiday Highlights at Tower City Center

Tower City’s holiday programming will begin on Nov. 30 with WinterLand at Tower City, featuring activities in Skylight Park and retail specials for Small Business Saturday. Clevelanders can explore new attractions, such as:

• The “Story” Slide: An 8-foot spiral slide inspired by A Christmas Story, offering a nostalgic thrill for kids and adults.

• Virtual Reality (VR) Sleigh Rides: Located at Station Court, this immersive VR experience lets visitors “fly” on a magical holiday journey around the world.

Classic holiday favorites are also making a return to Tower City this year:

• Bruce the Spruce’s Forest: The iconic talking tree from Cleveland’s past invites families to interact in a whimsical forest setting, complete with ornament-making.

• Mr. Jingeling’s Treasure House of Toys: Mr. Jingeling, Cleveland’s beloved Keeper-of-the-Keys, will greet visitors at his castle in Tower Court.

• Snow Shows: A winter wonderland experience in Skylight Park, with live snowfall, lighting effects, and music on Thursdays and Fridays at 5 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays at 12 p.m. and 4 p.m.

• Sock Skating: An iceless skating rink in Skylight Park lets guests slip on socks and glide around a festive rink.

• Kringle’s Inventionasium: This interactive toy lab adventure returns, inviting families to explore hidden tunnels and invent their own toys. Tickets can be purchased here.

Additional Events at Tower City Center

• WinterLand at Tower City: A holiday glow party in the Oak Room with gingerbread bounce houses, holiday wish lists, a snow globe photo station, and more.

  • Date: Saturday, Nov. 30, 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. | Skylight Park, Tower City

• Gifting with the Grinchy: Kids can pick and wrap gifts, and enjoy Grinch-themed games.

  • Date: Saturday, Dec. 7, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. | English Oak Room, Tower City

• Donte’s Gift Express: Celebrating its 11th year, Donte’s Gift Express offers gift wrapping, entertainment, and activities for families.

  • Date: Saturday, Dec. 14, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. | Skylight Park, Tower City

• Frozen Fun: A day filled with tea parties, snowball fights, ice carving, and other frosty activities.

  • Date: Saturday, Dec. 21, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. | Skylight Park, Tower City

• Tower City’s Noon Year’s Eve: A family-friendly celebration featuring a noon countdown, dance party, and mocktail bar.

  • Date: Tuesday, Dec. 31, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Skylight Park, Tower City

Where to Find More Information

For more details on Tower City’s holiday events and hours of operation, visit towercitycenter.com/holidays - For WinterLand event updates, visit WinterLand's official website here.

This year’s WinterLand Tree Lighting Festival, produced in collaboration with the City of Cleveland, is made possible by partners such as K&D Group, Bedrock, Cleveland Public Power, Hughie’s, Circle K, Block by Block, NRG Group, Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Playhouse Square, and WKYC, among others. The event aims to bring the community together to celebrate the season with lights, music, and festive joy.

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