Families across the Westerville area have a new date circled for the holidays: organizers say the seventh annual Westerville Winterfest & Carnival will take place Sunday, Dec. 13, bringing Santa visits, carnival games and an indoor bounce park to Otterbein University's Clements Center. The event is billed as a free indoor gathering for Columbus-area families, though attendees will need to register in advance to get in.
According to WSYX, the carnival will be held at Otterbein University's Clements Center in Westerville. The station reports the lineup includes visits with Santa, a character meet-and-treat, and games paired with an unlimited fun-zone bounce park.
The same report notes the day's activities stretch to Minion-themed mini golf, laser tag, family bingo and game shows, giving families plenty to rotate through indoors. Local vendors are also expected to set up with holiday shopping items, and the outlet describes the gathering more broadly as a mix of holiday celebrations, interactive games and local family-focused resources.
Early Arrivals Get a Free Kids Meal
One perk is time-sensitive: the first 100 families to arrive will receive a free Raising Cane's kids meal certificate, per the station's report. Because admission requires advance registration, families hoping to take advantage of that giveaway may want to plan on getting there early.
How This Year Compares to Past Winterfests
Westerville's Winterfest has grown over the years, with past editions showing just how much the format can shift from year to year. The sixth annual carnival ran Dec. 14, 2025, from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at what kidslinked.com listed as the Otterbein Clements Center on Center Street, and that edition advertised character visits with Bluey, SpongeBob and Stitch alongside a bounce park and holiday hayride.
That 2025 listing also included mini golf, carnival games and laser tag, and it urged families to register early, warning the event could sell out. It capped free Santa visit passes at 200 families that year — a limit distinct from whatever capacity applies to this December's event, which organizers have not detailed.
Earlier editions looked different still. A write-up from 1808Delaware covering the fourth annual Winterfest & Carnival described it running from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Clements Recreation Center, with admission free for those who pre-registered but $2 at the door for walk-ins. That year, 150 families could pre-register for a special Santa meeting, and the first 200 attendees received a free Tim Hortons treat — terms that don't necessarily carry over to this year's carnival.
A listing from Visit Westerville separately describes the broader Winterfest & Carnival concept as a free family event featuring Santa, character visits, a bounce park, a holiday hayride, a mechanical shark ride, ornament making and holiday shopping, according to visitwesterville.org. Families in the area have another free winter option on the calendar too: the KidsLinked Columbus Winter Carnival is set for Feb. 21, 2026, at Polaris Fashion Place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., offering a bounce park, bubble house, mini golf and laser tag with optional paid add-ons.
For now, the key details families need are set: Sunday, Dec. 13, at Otterbein University's Clements Center, free to attend, with advance registration required for admission.
