DRESSED for the season were Elena Erwin (left) and niece Madelynn Seehusen, both of Garden Grove (Orange County Tribune photos by Jim Tortolano).

“Winter in the Grove” on Saturday evening in the Village Green Park in Garden Grove combined what used to be two events, and with the turnout and variety of activities and entertainment, this new version may well have been twice as fun.

MINNIE, a 5-year-old golden retriever, found snow and ice to be a nice snack. She belongs to the Parra family of Garden Grove.

Organized by the City of Garden Grove’s Community Services Department, the event ran from 4-8 p.m. in the park in the downtown area at Main and Euclid streets. It replaced the “Winterfest” held in the Atlantis Play Center adjacent to Garden Grove Park and the tree-lighting at the Village Green.

There was just about something for everyone. Tons of snow were brought in to create snow slides for the kids, and there were food booths, bounce houses and other inflatable fun and photo ops.

Santa and Mrs. Claus were on hand, and much of the bon homiecame from local people running into each other dressed in their “ugly” Christmas sweaters and bundled up like the Big Strawberry was located in Minnesota.

Once the sun went down and darkness descended, the musical entertainment started on a stage in front of the city’s 24-foot Christmas tree. Dance groups, choruses, choirs and more entertained the crowd until the crowning moment when the tree was lit up, officially kicking off the season for Garden Grove.

A BIG attraction of the “Winter in the Grove” were the snow slides that gave local kids a taste of recreation in the more wintry parts of the nation.