Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Holiday happenings on Strip to include New England-style village

Temporary winter wonderland to feature sledding, ice rink and retail shops

A winter wonderland that features sledding, an ice-skating rink and motorcycle-drawn carriage rides is headed next month to the south end of the Strip.

The holiday festival is being put on by 7 Wheel Wonders, the company that manufactures the motorcycle-drawn carriages.

In addition to showcasing the company’s unique rides, the event will provide a unique destination for tourists and locals alike, a project representative told Clark County commissioners this week.

“The objective is to make this look like a New England village, a holiday village,” said attorney Kimberly Maxson-Rushton, who represents 7 Wheel Wonders.

The festival will be spread across 17 acres on a series of undeveloped parcels across Las Vegas Boulevard from Mandalay Bay.

Temporary sheds with decorative facades would form the “village” effect. Local retailers selling crafts and food would set up on the front porches of these structures while the carriages circulate guests throughout the area.

An extra touch of winter will come from artificial snow scattered throughout the village, which will include a children’s sledding area.

County commissioners, sitting Wednesday as the County Zoning Commission, unanimously approved a temporary use permit that will allow the attraction to open Dec. 14 and run through Valentine’s Day. Admission will be free and the festival will operate from 1 to 11 p.m. daily, said Maxson-Rushton, who estimated it would draw between 3,500 and 5,000 visitors per day.

If the event is a success, organizers plan to bring it back in future years, she said.

Parking and traffic is always a concern when adding new attractions to the Strip, Commissioner Mary Beth Scow said, but she was satisfied the organizers had done the work needed to avoid potential problems.

“I told the group when we first met that they would need to convince commissioners that this will be something that’s first class since it’s on Las Vegas Boulevard,” Scow said. “I was very convinced after our meeting that it would be very upscale and beautiful.”

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