PONCA – As events slowly start to come back, this year’s Ponca State Park Winterfest will be implanting COVID protocols for their visitors.
According to a release from Ponca State Park, this year’s annual Winterfest will mark the ninth consecutive year featuring a day filled with multiple activities. The event will take place on Saturday, January 2, 2021.
In compliance with the CDC guidelines, Winterfest will be conducted as a self-guided family event.
Take-N-Go Craft kits can be picked up throughout Saturday at the Resource and Education Center. The National Championship Fruitcake Fling will be more of a competition between you and your family where families can test their skill and possible earn bragging rights for a year.
The Fruitcake Fling course will be setup in the meadow across from the Resource and Education Center, next to the mini lodge “Whitetail”. Attendees will have access to the Fruitcake Fling course throughout the day and wildlife friendly fruitcakes can be picked up at the Resource and Education Center.
There is one activity with a scheduled start time; it’s the Yule Log Quest. Start time is set for 10:00 a.m. Saturday and you will need to pre-register your team of 3-5 members before that. Ponca State Park is taking reservations for the Yule Log Quest, now until one hour before the quest.
This year’s Yule Log Quest will require you to use a smart phone; your first clue will be emailed to you at 10:00 am and each clue thereafter will be a QR code you will scan with your phone. Not all teams will be following the same sequence of clues, and clues will take you throughout the park. Park officials will declare the winning team based off of the time they login their QR codes. Prizes will be awarded for the Most Uniquely Named Team and the Champion Yule Log Team.
Other activities going on throughout the park is the Christmas Tree Hunt, A Self-Guided Hike, Overlook Trail Gnome Hunt, Photo-Op with Sasquatch and more. For full details contact Ponca State Park at ngpc.ponca@nebraska.gov, call 402- 755-2284 or follow them on Facebook at Ponca State Park NE.
Complete weekend Winterfest activities: 1.1-1.3.2021 – Winterfest
A state park vehicle permit is required.