Winter Fest opens at O.C. fairgrounds with snow, skating and lights

Winter Fest opened at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa on Thursday.

It runs through Jan. 7.

Now in its third year, the event features holiday-themed attractions, including a snow play area, petting zoo, ice skating rink and snow tubing mountain.

There is also the 150-foot Snowflake Summit with eight lanes of snow tubing and the Festival of Lights walk-through, which showcases holiday displays adorned with two million lights.

For tickets and hours of operation, visit www.winterfestoc.com.

Santa’s sleigh and reindeer, guided into position from a crane by two workers, near their destination on the roof of the Hangar at the OC Fair & Events Center for Winter Fest on Thursday.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer )

kathleen.luppi@latimes.com

Twitter: @KathleenLuppi