La Salle Launches its First Winter Festival, Frosty on First

La Salle is set to debut its inaugural winter festival, known as Frosty on First, this November. The city’s initiative aims to transform the traditional summer celebration, Celebrate La Salle, into a vibrant winter experience, enticing residents and visitors to explore the downtown area.

Brent Bader, the city’s director of public relations and community development, expressed enthusiasm for the new event. “We’ve designed an event that we hope will incentivize people to come downtown,” he stated. “Explore what our downtown has to offer and interact with many of the businesses.”

Exciting Entertainment and Attractions

The festival promises a weekend filled with live entertainment. Notable performances include Harmonix on Friday evening and Chicago violinist Rachael Miller on Saturday from 17:00 to 19:00. The evening will culminate with the Windy City Dueling Pianos, entertaining attendees from 19:30 to 22:30. “I’m really excited for the dueling pianos,” Bader added. “It’s unique, especially in the heart of downtown. It’s going to create a great atmosphere.”

In addition to music, visitors can enjoy an ice skating rink, complete with rental skates, alongside various family-friendly activities. The festival will feature an inflatable snowman bounce house, an inflatable maze, and a Snow-Zilla slide. Bader noted that Frosty on First offers the city a chance to curate the attractions more selectively than in previous festivals. “What’s nice is when the community interacts with these attractions, we can get feedback,” he explained. “If this event is successful, we’ll know which pieces worked and which didn’t.”

Local businesses are actively supporting the festival, with each attraction sponsored by different organizations. Josh Lund of AGG, the largest sponsor, expressed excitement about his sponsorship of the ice rink. “It’s a great opportunity to get involved and be part of the community,” he remarked.

A Winter Wonderland for All

Adding to the festival’s charm, a snowball fight hosted by Ax Church will allow participants to engage in a playful battle with thousands of fabric snowballs. “My favorite childhood activity was snowball fights,” said Cameron Graper, pastor at Ax Church. “Then I thought, what if there was a giant course? It would be a snowball battle!”

To keep everyone warm, the city plans to set up five fire pits throughout the downtown area. Attendees can also enjoy holiday movies projected for public viewing, along with opportunities for festive photos with reindeer. A bourbon tasting event will be available, featuring eight different selections for $32, including Blanton’s, Eagle Rare, E.H. Taylor, Weller Special Reserve, and Stagg.

Food enthusiasts will find multiple food trucks offering unique culinary options not typically found in local restaurants. The city will also provide a map to highlight shops and eateries for visitors to explore during the festival.

Frosty on First is poised to create a festive atmosphere, drawing the community together and showcasing the best of what La Salle has to offer this winter.