ROYAL OAK, Mich. – After more than 20 years as a winter staple in Southeast Michigan, Winter Blast is being folded into Royal Oak Holidays.
The combined festival will stretch across five straight weekends of free holiday fun in downtown Royal Oak, running Nov. 21 through Dec. 21, 2025. Although Winter Blast will no longer be held as a separate event, many of its well-liked attractions — including the zip line, carnival rides and ice sculptures — will live on as part of the enlarged Royal Oak Holidays lineup.
“We’re taking everything people loved about Winter Blast and supercharging it for one amazing holiday season,” said festival producer Jon Witz in a press release. “By merging its favorites features into ‘Royal Oak Holidays’ and extending the event over multiple weekends, we’re creating a bigger, more accessible celebration that delivers more value, more festive fun and more time for families to enjoy it all.”
Royal Oak Holidays will present five themed weekends with a variety of attractions. Attendance remains free and popular Winter Blast activities like the zip line and carnival rides, which previously came at a cost, are now completely free. Like Winter Blast, Royal Oak Holidays will feature one weekend of free skating at the Rink at Royal Oak, scheduled for Dec. 12-14.
Royal Oak Holidays kicks off at 4 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21, with the Lighting of the Park and the season opening of the Rink at Royal Oak. The celebration includes live music, food trucks, carnival rides, marshmallow roasting, skating exhibitions, Santa’s grand arrival on a fire truck and a community countdown to the lighting of Royal Oak’s downtown trees and the iconic Giant Oak Tree in Centennial Commons.
There will also be an expanded outdoor holiday market featuring more than 15 local gift exhibitors, including several downtown Royal Oak businesses, offering seasonal goods and treats such as hot chocolate and glühwein.
More information can be found here.
2025 Royal Oak Holidays Weekend Schedule
November 21–23: Opening Weekend & Tree Lighting
- Royal Oak Holidays kickoff with The Lighting of the Park in Centennial Commons
- Season opening of the Rink at Royal Oak
- Carnival rides
- Launch of The Great Royal Oak Elf Hunt
- Live music performances
- Visits with Santa
- Marshmallow roasting stations
November 28–30: Thrill Weekend
- Zip line rides
- Life-size Hungry Hippos game
- Enchanting carriage rides
- Visits with Santa
- Marshmallow roasting stations
December 5–7: Shop & Sweets Weekend
- Holiday Markets
- Holiday Cabin with live music
- Visits with Santa
- Santa appearances and photos
- Cookie Crawl through participating downtown shops
- Enchanting carriage rides
- Marshmallow roasting stations
December 12–14: Giving & Gliding Weekend
- Free Skating Weekend at the Rink at Royal Oak
- The Bottomless Toy Chest Toy Drive
- Royal Oak Police vs. Fire Broomball
- Holiday Markets
- Visits with Santa
- Santa appearances and photos
- Enchanting carriage rides
- Marshmallow roasting stations
December 19–21: Grinch & Games Weekend
- Whimsical Grinch Weekend
- Ice sculptures
- Winter Classic Cornhole Tournament
- Enchanting carriage rides
- Marshmallow roasting stations