Scioto County schools are getting a new Christmas assignment this year.
Deck the halls. And make them good enough to beat everybody else.
Friends of Portsmouth and Young Friends of Portsmouth are launching a brand-new school decorating contest as part of Winterfest 2026, inviting schools across the county to transform hallways into Christmas wonderlands.
Think Candy Cane Lane.
The North Pole.
Christmas trees, lights, snowmen, elves — whatever students, teachers, PTO members, and families can dream up.
And yes, there are bragging rights involved.
Every School Can Play
The contest is free to enter and open to schools throughout Scioto County.
Preschools, elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools can register separately, giving different age groups a chance to join the competition.
The deadline to register is November 13.
Then the public gets involved.
Free online People’s Choice voting will run from December 5 through December 11, and organizers say voters can cast unlimited votes.
The winning school receives an engraved traveling trophy and gets to enjoy the title for the next year.
Second- and third-place schools will also be recognized.
Friends of Portsmouth has posted registration information and complete contest rules through its Winterfest page.
Winterfest Is Almost Here
The decorating contest is just one piece of a much larger Christmas season taking shape in downtown Portsmouth.
Winterfest returns to Burnside Brankamp Park at Market Square from November 27 through January 3, with the outdoor ice-skating rink serving as one of its biggest attractions. Friends of Portsmouth says the festival also includes vendors, food trucks, live entertainment, carriage rides, Santa, and other holiday activities.
This year’s theme is “It’s a Wonderful Christmas,” drawing on the small-town Christmas feel of It’s a Wonderful Life.
That seems particularly appropriate for an event built around families skating downtown, Christmas lights, Santa visits, local businesses, and neighbors running into one another during the holidays.
Friends of Portsmouth currently describes Portsmouth as an Official 2026 Hallmark Christmas Town, with Winterfest playing a major role in the city’s holiday identity.
Want the Whole Ice Rink?
Families, businesses, teams, churches, and groups hoping to have the Winterfest rink to themselves will soon get their chance.
Private rink rentals are scheduled to be released November 2 at 10 a.m.
Private sessions will be available Sunday through Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m., with room for up to 75 skaters.
Organizers are warning people not to wait around if they want one.
Those rental spots tend to go fast.
The rental fee is non-refundable but can be transferred to someone else. If bad weather hits, renters can decide whether to continue with their reservation or receive a refund.
More Than an Ice Rink
Winterfest has grown into one of Portsmouth’s signature community events.
The rink may be the centerpiece, but the festival has expanded into a full downtown Christmas season with lights, Santa experiences, carriage rides, vendors, food, music, and activities stretching through the holidays.
Friends of Portsmouth also operates Santa’s Magical Elevator, an experience designed to make visitors feel as though they are traveling to the North Pole before meeting Santa.
And now, the Christmas spirit is spreading from downtown into school hallways all across Scioto County.
So teachers and principals might want to start looking for extension cords.
The kids have a trophy to win.