The big winter event is coming back
Headline: The big winter event is coming back
Teaser: New taste, different experience
Winter wonderland, the annual big season event for people living in Cardiff, is creeping closer. From the middle of November, Cardiff will welcome this winter party for the sixth year.
130,000 litres of frozen water, a 880 square meters ice pad, some 100 Christmas trees and nearly 15,000 colourful lightbulbs will create a fantastic atmosphere in front of Cardiff City Hall.
Santa’s Grotto is a new attraction this year. The grotto is a 30ft tree-shaped structure, open from November 16 to Christmas Eve, where children and families can visit the man himself and receive a small gift.
“It must be interesting and attractive,” said Brian Harrison, who works at the ice pad, “We had been looking for the right person to play Santa since September and finally found him, and the Grotto is well decorated, you won’t be disappointed”
For some people, the newcome international students, the ice rink is the most attractive aspect. Some of them have never seen a real ice rink before.
Anderson Chyke, a Nigerian student studying MBA in Cardiff University, said: “I would buy a ticket, the ice rink is really amazing. I never thought I would see a real ice rink here in Cardiff. You know it’s so hot in Nigeria, ice skating is a faraway dream for most of the people there.”
However, students coming from north China described the winter wonderland as a “tiny toy box”. “I did skating on the freezing river when I was in China. It (this ice rink) looks a bit funny,” said Min Fu, a new postgraduate student in Cardiff Business School. But I would still join the skating game if the ticket price is reasonable. This is a big festival in Cardiff, I won’t miss it.”
Cardiff’s Winter Wonderland has been voted the best regional open-air ice rink in the UK. It was estimated nearly 250,000 skaters have taken to the ice in the past five years. This year, the rink remains the focus of skaters and spectators.
“Cardiff is the best place to celebrate such a winter festival,” said David Hodge, Marketing Director of bmibaby, sponsors of the open air ice rink, “With regular maintenance, this ice rink could accommodate thousands of people.”
“What’s more important, Cardiff’s warm winter is attractive for people from other areas,” he added.
Furthermore, the wet Welsh weather could not stop people visiting Cardiff Winter Wonderland this year. The event has teamed up with the National Museum of Wales to ensure that even if it does rain, people could still watch the ice age workshop in National Museum.
Although this workshop is free for children, booking is essential due to its popularity.
For further information of Cardiff Winter Wonderland, please visit the official website: http://www.cardiffswinterwonderland.com/
Now the winter big event is coming back, so get your skates on!
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