Winter Play Day

February 25, 2023

Embrace winter at Winter Play Day!

Check out the full lineup of events, free activities, and learn how to get your free day passes and make online reservations for select free equipment rentals below:

Festival at Hyland Lake Park Reserve

Join us at Hyland Lake Park Reserve for a festival event from 1–4:30 PM!

Featuring:

  • Join free mini-lessons and demonstrations about snow-making and more
  • Try a new activity with free walk-up rentals for snowshoes, cross-country skis and adaptive sit-ski equipment
  • Browse a winter market featuring local vendors
  • Participate in interactive nature education and exploration activities, including a trail ride and winter fun walk in the park
  • From 1–3:30 PM, enjoy live music by Brotherhood of Birds, recently voted one of the best new bands of 2022 by First Avenue and The Current
  • Warm up with warm beverages, food and local microbrews in the food tent and at the A'BriTin Hitch & Sip bar trailer. Bring your reusable mug or compostable cup for a free cocoa, cider or coffee from Lucky's 13.
  • Warm up at bonfires throughout the festival
  • Explore the park and look for the ice sculpture
  • Have fun with snow in the Snow Play Area, where you can paint snow or explore the quinzhee (shelter built out of snow)

After dark, enjoy cross-country skiing through lantern-lit trails until 7:30 PM.

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Three girls hold up s'mores in the winter.

Free S'mores

Join us by the campfire to make s'mores, from 10 AM–3 PM, while supplies last, at the following locations:

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Two snowboarders rest at the bottom of a groomed hill while others take the tow rope up the hill.

Discounts on Winter Activities at Elm Creek

Get reduced-price tubing all day at Elm Creek Winter Recreation Area! Advanced reservations are required and can be made online starting Saturday, February 11. Subject to availability.

After 3 PM, get discounted lift tickets for snowboarding and skiing. Snowboard and downhill ski rentals are first-come, first-served.

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Three people cross-country ski on a snowy trail.

Free Cross-Country Ski Passes & Rentals

Starting Saturday, February 18, reserve your free cross-country ski rental, and, on February 25, get your free day pass online.

Rentals are available at the following locations: 

Make sure to check trail conditions before you head out!

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A woman pulls back a bow at the archery range.

Free Archery Passes

Get your free activity pass on February 25 online.

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a group of young girls in colorful coats with snowshoes on.

Free Snowshoe Rentals

A girl uses a kicksled on a snowy landscape.

Free Kicksled Demos

Try a kicksled at the following locations from 10 AM–3 PM:

Learn more about kicksledding on our blog!

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three adults pulling colorful sleds back up a hill.

Free Sled Rentals

Sled rentals are available at the following locations:

See all sledding hill locations and conditions.

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Related Blog Posts

Our 7 Favorite Winter Activities

By: Ashley Smith & Anders Hanson

December 23, 2019

We've compiled a list of our 7 favorite activities to help you embrace winter this season. Some of them might be things you've already done before, but a few of them might be new activities you want to try!

Best Trails for Cross-Country Skiing

By: Three Rivers Staff

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Looking for a trail to get started cross-country skiing or prepare for the Ski Rennet on January 29? Check out this post from the archive to find our favorite cross-country ski trails in Three Rivers.

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By: Andrea Breitung

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Snow conditions right now are the best we've seen in years. Learn more about the top 10 places to snowshoe in Three Rivers and explore some trails near you before the snow melts.