Fire sculptures will be on display at WinterFest 2024, which returns to Bend's Old Mill District Friday.

After three years at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds, WinterFest 2024 returns to its Bend roots Friday, bringing a piece of the fairgrounds along with it.

Lay It Out Events is holding the festival in the Old Mill District in what president of the company Aaron Switzer described as a “triumphant return.”

Those who didn’t attend the festival last year will notice the addition of carnival rides, such as a Ferris wheel and a merry-go-round, Switzer said.

“It should be pretty magical,” he said.

A new mascot

New to the festival this year is Frostyheart, a mascot designed by Bend artist Teafly Peterson. The mascot resembles a yeti and has a heart emblazoned on his chest. He’s a symbol of unity and celebration, according to the artist’s statement.

The statement said, “His message is simple but profound: in the heart of winter, amidst the frost and chill, love and companionship can thaw even the coldest of days.”

While Teafly’s lovable art appeals to all ages, it especially resonates with children, Switzer said.

WinterFest is a family-friendly event filled with kid-centered activities such as bounce houses, a Family Play Zone and interactive games by the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.

Six musical acts are scheduled for WinterFest on Friday and Saturday. Fire sculptures will be on display, and ice carvers will sculpt masterpieces out of blocks of ice on all three days of the Presidents Day weekend event.

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Bay Area artist Taylor Dean Harrison

Switzer said he’s excited to bring Taylor Dean Harrison’s sculpture art to the community as part of the event’s Light Art Showcase.

Harrison is based in the Bay Area and his work has been shown in museums, internationally at festivals and purchased for private collections, according to the artist’s website.

Harrison’s work is inspired by the natural world, but his artistic process is driven by two aspects: form and technology.

“Between the two of them, I’m driven to bring some of these drawings and experiments in form alive. And then the art occurs when I combine that with the technology that I’m working with at the time,” he said.

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‘Polymery’

Harrison is bringing “Polymery,” a five-piece collection of 15-foot-tall, pod-like sculptures propped up on three legs.

Polymery is not to be confused with the word “polyamory,” although it’s pronounced similarly.

“Naming art is really hard,” Harrison said with a chuckle.

The piece was wrought from powder-coated steel, mirrored stainless steel and LED light engines.

Experiencing “Polymery” in the sunlight is distinctly different than after dark, Harrison said. By day, the mirrored reflection warps the surrounding environment, sometimes revealing a mirror image and, other times, the sky above.

“It makes for a playful reflection of where you actually are,” Harrison said.

By night, “Polymery” casts swirling light patterns resembling stained glass that intermix with one another. The lights will be synchronized to music by a DJ at the festival, according to Switzer.

“I really like making things that are expansive,” Harrison said. “They create an environment that you can go and exist in for a while and have an experience that’s outside of the norm.

If You Go

What: Bend WinterFest 2024

When: 5-10 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday

Where: Old Mill District, 520 SW Powerhouse Drive, Bend

Cost: Online tickets cost $17 for adults on Friday and Saturday, $14 for adults on Sunday and $10 for youth. Prices are higher at the gate.

Contact: oregonwinterfest.com