Jack Frost Children's WinterFest details announced in Charlottetown

The Hotel Association of P.E.I. will host the Jack Frost Children's WinterFest from Feb. 19 to 21, 2016, which fills up local hotelsduring a typically slow time of year.

The festival creates more than half a million dollars in economic activity for P.E.I. And visitors spend the largest part of their budget more than one-quarter on accomodations.

"HAPEI is committed to a long-term sustainable festival that generates room nights for its member properties, increased bridge traffic, and revenue for the hospitality industry as a whole," stated a written announcement released Tuesday by the Hotel Association.

For the second year, the festival will be held at the Charlottetown Event Grounds and will feature slides, skating, buskers, and ice carvings of dinosaurs and dragons.

There will also be an indoor playland at the Eastlink Centre, with a petting zoo and bouncy rides.

New this year: an interactive children's stage with continuous live entertainment featuring The Octonauts and Canadian magician Sheldon Casavant.

A family fun zone at the Confederation Court Mall will also offer free programming includingbuskers, magic shows and face painting, "making the festival accessible to everyone," the release said.

This will be the eleventhyear for the Jack Frost festival, which took a one-year hiatus in 2013.