Frisco’s Wassail Days celebrations to pay homage to the Colorado winter season
Wassail Days is this small Colorado mountain town's way to celebrate all things winter
Joe Kusomoto/Town of Frisco
Frisco’s Wassail Days celebrations will take place Nov. 25 to Dec. 3, featuring fireworks, a holiday tree lighting, Santa visits, a breakfast with Santa, story time at the Historic Park and wassail sampling from more than 50 local businesses.
Wassail Days is the town’s weeklong homage to all things winter. The event welcomes locals and visitors to embrace the winter holidays and discover or reacquaint themselves with Frisco businesses as they wander through the town sampling wassail.
Wassail is a hot cider made with spices and fruits traditionally served during the holidays as an Old English toast to health. Since Frisco started Wassail Days in 2008, the town’s businesses have perfected their recipes and are excited to offer samples up for a popular vote, according to the release.
Saturday, Nov 25
Saturday, Nov. 25, is Small Business Saturday and by shopping businesses near Main Street and Summit Boulevard, residents and visitors can fill out their “12 Sips of Wassail” cards.
From 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. that Saturday evening, there will also be carolers making their way up and down Main Street, the release states. At 6 p.m. at the Frisco Historic Park, there will be a tree lighting followed by Santa visits as well as hot wine, wassail and cookies for sale to benefit the Family & Intercultural Resource Center. Fireworks are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. and Santa visits reportedly continue through about 8:30 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 26
Santa visits will take place at the Frisco Historic Park between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 2
Breakfast with Santa, organized by the Summit County Preschool and presented by Breckenridge Grand Vacations and FirstBank, will take place from 8:30-10:30 a.m. at the preschool, according to the news release. Santa will arrive at 9 a.m. Tickets are $10 per person and benefit the Summit County preschool. Purchase Breakfast with Santa tickets at WassailDays.com.
Between 10 a.m. and noon, carolers will be making their way up and down Main Street.
Between 10:30 a.m. and noon, the town will host Story Time at the Historic Park where children will have the opportunity to pet Santa’s reindeer and listen to “The Snowy Day” written by Ezra Jack Keats, enjoy wassail, hot chocolate, cookies and take-home craft kits, the release states.
Between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., Santa will visit the Historic Park.
Sunday, Dec. 3
Santa will visit the Historic Park from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
This year, over 50 local businesses will serve their own wassail or an alternative holiday treat from Nov. 25 to Dec. 3, and participants will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite wassail recipe, the release states.
Participants will also be able to fill out their “12 Sips of Wassail” card and bring a completed card to the Frisco Visitor Information Center for a free 2023 commemorative Wassail Days mug, while supplies last, according to the release.
Each year, the commemorative mug features an iconic Frisco scene. This year’s mug features an original design from Summit County-based artist Erika Donaghy, owner of Erika Donaghy Creative Studio, the release states. Most notable for her watercolor paintings, Donaghy reportedly pulls her inspiration from the surrounding nature of Summit County.
Support Local Journalism
Support Local Journalism
As a Summit Daily News reader, you make our work possible.
Summit Daily is embarking on a multiyear project to digitize its archives going back to 1989 and make them available to the public in partnership with the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. The full project is expected to cost about $165,000. All donations made in 2023 will go directly toward this project.
Every contribution, no matter the size, will make a difference.