The Jim Thorpe Tourism Agency hosts the 27th annual WinterFest on Presidents Day weekend this Saturday and Sunday.

The celebration will feature winter train rides, wood and ice carving, free family fun, shopping the town’s 50 unique shops, live entertainment at the Mauch Chunk Opera House, the cool ice bars at the Marion Hose Bar and Broadway Pub and Grille and the Jim Thorpe Mug Walk, sponsored by the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau.

For $15, you can visit the participating shops and stores that will fill those mugs with something free, including cookies, soup, coffee and other surprises.

Mugs can be reserved online at www.jimthorpe.org and then be picked up either day at Mauch Chunk Ballroom, 41 West Broadway.

Free family entertainment will include Faculty Brass strolling quartet on scene from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; and Black Ties and Pearls strolling Victorian carolers will perform around town from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Saturday and 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday.

In addition, there will be a Free Range Folk concert and tasting event from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday at St. Mark’s and St. John’s Episcopal Church, 21 Race St. Tickets are available at the door. Must be 21 years old to attend the event.

There will also be a free kids magician show by Eddy Ray at the Mauch Chunk Ballroom at 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday; as well as face painting, crafts and more for kids at the ballroom.

Trains operate three times daily from the Jim Thorpe Visitors Center and Train Station into Lehigh Gorge State Park at 11 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m. both days from Jim Thorpe Station.

Train rides are 70 minutes round trip. Tickets are $14 for adults and $9 for children. Operated by the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway, more information about the trains is available on www.lgsry.com.

Wood carvers ply their trades in the downtown Josiah White Park next to the train station and give demonstrations, which is entertaining for everyone. In addition, ice sculpting will be showcased at the Mauch Chunk Opera House from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and an ice throne will be inside the gazebo at Josiah White Park.

Take a romantic horse-drawn carriage ride through town, brought to you by Crystal View Carriages. Rides will be offered from noon until 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Parking will be available at the county parking lot, located behind the train station at 1 Susquehanna St. Cost to park is $6 per car in this lot. There is also limited meter parking throughout town ($1/hour with a two-hour limit).

For more information visit the official Jim Thorpe website, http://www.JimThorpe.org.