WESTBROOK – Residents of Westbrook and surrounding communities who aren’t tired of holiday celebrations will have a perfect way to keep the fun going in 2013.

The brand-new Westbrook Winter West Fest is coming to various downtown locations from Friday, Jan. 4 through Sunday, Jan. 5.

Bill Baker, Westbrook’s assistant city administrator for business and community relations, said the idea for the Westbrook Winter West Fest came from a desire to draw people to downtown Westbrook at a time that is traditionally tough for businesses and restaurants.

“I generated the idea because I thought that weekend right after the holidays and the winter in general, was a slow time for businesses, especially in the downtown area,” Baker said.

“We thought it would be a good time to get people into the downtown,” agreed Ed Symbol, one of the festival’s organizers, adding that the response to the festival, work on which began at the end of October, has been very good.

“I think momentum’s building,” he said.

The festivities, which are free all weekend, begin on Friday night, with a family skate night at the outdoor rink on Stroudwater Street, sponsored by the Kiwanis Club. At the same time, the Westbrook-Gorham Chamber of Commerce will be sponsoring a business-after-hours event. Unlike most such events, which are held in one location, this one will be spread out among various downtown restaurants.

At each location, the public can sample some of the restaurant’s offerings and enter into a free raffle for a door prize at each restaurant.

“It’s trying to promote all of the downtown restaurants,” said Dr. Warren Lain, the president of the Westbrook-Gorham Chamber of Commerce.

Baker said the hope for the weekend is that it will become a regional event, drawing in people from outside Westbrook.

“This will be, I hope, a celebration that will bring people in from well beyond the borders of the city,” he said.

Saturday, Jan. 5 will be a busy day throughout the city, as events will take place in a number of locations.

There will be a pancake breakfast sponsored by the Westbrook High School class of 2015, as well as an outdoor ice hockey tournament at the Lincoln Street rink, sponsored by the Westbrook Hockey Boosters. Other events on Saturday include free horse and wagon rides in Riverbank Park, a snow sculpture contest in Saccarappa Park, a 5K “fun run” sponsored by the Westbrook Fire Department and sled dog races at the Rivermeadow Golf Course on Lincoln Street, which will be held on both Saturday and Sunday.

Baker said he is hoping that the weather will cooperate.

“There’s a variety of events that are weather-dependent of course,” he said. “(But) we tried to structure it in a way that if certain things didn’t happen because it was too warm, other things would be able to happen.”

Ironically, one event that is not snow-dependent is the sled dog races. Baker explained that the races would be “rig races” where the sleds will be on wheels, so no snow is needed for the races to be run.

Symbol said he hopes that the 2013 Westbrook Winter West Fest is the first in a long line of events.

“Hopefully, it’s going to be a yearly event,” he said. “I hope people come downtown and take advantage of all of the stuff.”