Downtown Tulsa's ice rink is thawing out from its off-season slumber, and the 19th annual Arvest Winterfest is set to open Friday, Nov. 27, running through Sunday, Jan. 3. The holiday tradition returns to Third Street and Denver Avenue with outdoor ice skating and a lineup of other cold-weather activities, anchored once again by the River Spirit Casino Resort ice slide, a 60-foot run that riders take on in a tube.
The season kicks off with the Share the Light opening ceremony, powered by PSO, on Nov. 27, according to Tulsa World. Local performers will help ring in the holidays before the lighting of the festival's iconic tree, a moment presented by OneOk. As for who's behind the whole operation, there's some discrepancy in how it's being billed this year: Tulsa World's reporting lists Arvest Bank and Roxtec as the presenting partners for the 2026 season, while a separate News On 6 report has previously identified Ascension St. John as presenting sponsor. Tulsa World also names a long list of additional backers for 2026, including PSO, OneOk, River Spirit Casino Resort, Lexus of Tulsa, Spectrum, ONG, Tulsa Community College, John Zink, Diageo and Zoellner Media Group.
Half-Price Nights Built Around Giving Back
Winterfest has built a reputation for tying cheaper admission to community giving, and this season keeps that going with a weekly rotation of discount days. On Mondays, skaters can get half-price admission by donating non-perishable canned food, a drive that benefits the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, according to Arvest Winterfest's event page. Wednesdays bring a similar deal for coats, blankets, scarves or gloves — new or gently used — with those donations benefiting the City Lights Foundation of Oklahoma, per Tulsa World's reporting.
Fridays are reserved for students. High school and college students with a valid student ID can get 50% off admission on what organizers call Student Night, running every Friday from Dec. 4 through Jan. 1, with Christmas Day excluded, Tulsa World reports. A similar student discount tied to Tulsa Community College has been a feature of the event in the past — News On 6 previously described a Friday student night sponsored by the college, though that earlier report covered a different season and shouldn't be read as confirming this year's exact terms. Arvest customers also get a break: showing an Arvest card or checkbook gets half-price general admission on any day of the festival.
Santa Visits, a Pub and Logistics
Santa has two separate appearances built into this year's calendar. Weekends with Santa, presented by Spectrum, offers families free photos with Santa from 3–5 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday through Christmas, according to Tulsa World's reporting. Breakfast with Santa, presented by John Zink, is a ticketed affair at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 19, at the Arvest Convention Center, and includes breakfast, a photo with Santa and a chance for kids to share last-minute holiday wishes. Tickets for that event go on sale Monday, Nov. 9.
There's also an on-site pub that opens at 5 p.m. every Friday and Saturday during the run, per Tulsa World's reporting. Organizers are asking visitors to purchase skating and ice slide tickets online in advance, and each reserved time slot comes with unlimited rides. The full calendar, daily hours and pricing details are published on the event's website.
Earlier coverage of Winterfest from News On 6 described the outdoor rink and the ice slide, which that report noted was in its second year at the time. A separate rundown from TulsaKids Magazine has described the broader draw of the event over the years — ice skating beneath the downtown skyline, the giant slide, Santa activities and private igloos — though its listed date range and hours don't specify a year and shouldn't be treated as confirmation of this season's exact schedule.
