WRAL plans downtown Winter Wonderland to follow this year’s Christmas Parade

WRAL wants those venturing downtown for the Raleigh Christmas parade on Nov. 17 to stick around after it ends and enjoy a little winter magic.

The Capitol Broadcasting Company-owned station announced on Sunday that it will hold a free WRAL Winter Wonderland at the entrance of Saint Mary’s School. It will start as soon the parade ends, which could be as early as 11 or 11:30 a.m. for those at the beginning of the route, and will go until 1:30 p.m.

The Winter Wonderland will have fake snow, sledding, photos with Santa, an inflatable obstacle course and bounce house, holiday music courtesy of Mix 101.5 and food trucks (Chick-N-Que, Stuft and Not Just Icing).

Matt Iseman, host of NBC’s “American Ninja Warrior” show will be there with giveaways and signing autographs. WRAL news and weather personalities will also be present.

Plus, the first 250 people will get a commemorative WRAL Winter Wonderland holiday ornament.

All of this takes place near the intersection of Hillsborough Street and Saint Mary’s Street.

Parade will air on TV

The Raleigh Christmas Parade will air on ABC11, the official sponsor of the parade for the second year in a row.

ABC11 won the contract for exclusive broadcast rights to the parade last year, and this year signed a three-year contract to retain rights through 2020.

WRAL, which lost the contract last year but aired the parade anyway, plans to do so again this year — for the 45th year.

ABC11 broadcasts the parade from in front of their Fayetteville Street newsroom downtown, while WRAL sets up earlier in the parade route, on Hillsborough Street. This year, WRAL will broadcast from the corner of Hillsborough and Dawson Streets, near Campbell University Law School.

The parade starts at 9:30 a.m. on WRAL and at 10 a.m. on WTVD/ABC11.

This story was originally published November 11, 2018 at 7:30 PM.