Bradenton’s 2022 Winter Wonderland canceled. Here’s why, and when it will be back

The City of Bradenton has decided to postpone its popular Winter Wonderland holiday street festival this year due to supply chain issues, and Hurricane Ian is partly to blame, the city said in a news release Monday.

The festival was planned for Dec. 10 on Old Main Street.

Locals were holly jolly last year when the holiday tradition returned after a seven-year hiatus. The festival typically includes music, vendors, food and drink and kids activities. Among the biggest attractions are the snow slides covered in real ice.

But the city’s ice vendor was unable to supply ice for this year’s event due to damage from Hurricane Ian, the city said in the news release. Other equipment was also unavailable because of supply chain issues.

“We know the expectations of the families that come downtown to enjoy this event,” said Bradenton councilwoman Marianne Barnebey, who founded the event in 1996, in the release. “We considered many options for events and activities to make the festival go forward. But we didn’t want to cobble something together just to have the event.”

Like Frosty the Snowman, though, Winter Wonderland will be back again some day.

And that day will be in 2023, Barnebey said.

“We thought it best to postpone and do it right next year,” Barnebey said. “We hope to come back bigger and better.”

Fortunately there’s still other holiday fun to enjoy in Bradenton this year. The Manatee River Holiday Boat Parade, another local tradition, is scheduled for Dec. 10 on the Manatee River.

Bradenton mayor Gene Brown encouraged families to come out and enjoy the floating light displays along the Bradenton Riverwalk.

“Even without our Winter Wonderland festival, the city is still in the holiday spirit,” Brown said.

This story was originally published November 21, 2022 at 1:27 PM.