The season starts with Winterfest | Arts & Entertainment

Yucaipa celebrated its annual Winterfest and Christmas Tree-Lighting event on Saturday, Nov. 30 in the heart of Historic Uptown Yucaipa. The event offered a festive atmosphere filled with food, shopping opportunities, special activities, rides, and more.

Among the attendees was Yucaipa resident Jennifer Peterson, who brought along her three daughters and some neighbors to join in the fun. They particularly enjoyed the holiday-themed train ride and were excited to stay until evening to witness the lighting of the Christmas tree.

Peterson shared that her family has made it a tradition to attend Winterfest each year, reminiscing about the past when an ice-skating rink was part of the festivities. Despite the absence of the rink this year, they found plenty of enjoyment in the other activities available.

“I like that it makes you feel like you get to come together with the community, which doesn’t happen every day. Yucaipa’s pretty good at getting everything together,” she said.

Yucaipa’s Santa’s Workshop at the Yucaipa Performing Arts Center was a popular destination for families with children. Ellen Petersen was working as one of Santa’s helpers and she said that families experienced three rooms of fun activities: in the first room, they stuffed teddy bears and wrote letters to Santa. In the second room, they enjoyed cookies and hot chocolate and met Mrs. Claus. In the final room, they met and took pictures with Santa Claus.

Next door to Santa’s Workshop, Alan Remele from the Yucaipa Valley Art Association welcomed visitors to YVAA’s Winter Art Exhibition as traditional carols played over a loudspeaker in the YPAC.

“This is just offering to let us get our name out there a little bit while the people look for Santa Claus next door. They might drop in here and see something a little bit different,” Remele said. In addition to other oil, acrylic, and watercolor paintings, the show highlighted mixed media works and photography by various YVAA members. Remele’s oil painting, “Fremont Fantasy,” featured a charming grove of Pistache trees in Yucaipa.

Outside of the YPAC, vendors were busy selling their products at various booths in the open market along California Street and Yucaipa Boulevard.

Book signing

At the Timeless Pages Bookstore, visitors also had the opportunity to meet three local authors who were on hand to sign their books and engage in conversations.

“There’s No Such Thing As Monsters!” by Yucaipa resident Adam Alderson is an illustrated children’s book that was published three years ago. Alderson said he was inspired by his daughter to write it.

“When she was a very little girl, I had a stuffed Bigfoot, and she said it was a monster. And I being the technical person I am said no, it’s probably a great ape, you know, that we haven’t really discovered yet. It’s not really a monster. And it got me down this rabbit hole of, the more you learn about what frightens you, the less right you are,” he said.

“Secrets of the Vol’aerai” by Beaumont resident Seth Myhre is a fantasy novel with a medieval setting. It was published as recently as September of 2024. “I learned a lot. It’s been a fun journey,” Myhre said.

“Night Light” by Yucaipa resident Jerry Garces is a collection of sixteen adventure-filled short stories. All three books are available for purchase on Amazon’s website.

Tree Lighting

The Grinch came to town just before Santa arrived on Saturday night.

The Uptown Park at YPAC was packed with families, many carrying children on their shoulders to catch a peak at the Christmas tree lighting.

On the main stage at YPAC, the Grinch danced around and was bumped off by a jolly Santa Claus. Santa asked the crowd to help in the countdown for the lighting of the tree.

City Councilman Bobby Duncan welcomed guests and introduced new Councilwoman Judy Woolsey, who will replace Duncan on the council later this month.

Barbara Guyton and Sheree Barnes had up-close view to the lighting of the tree.

The friends are Yucaipa residents and next-door neighbors. “I just love this small-town atmosphere,” said Guyton. “Everyone here is so friendly and it’s giving a good time!”

Barnes concurred. “It’s the simple pleasures. Merry Christmas!”

Shortly after the lighting of the tree, Active Church took to the stage and played classic Christmas carols as it “snowed” at the YPAC.