After the parade: Snow, sledding and Santa in downtown Raleigh

Featuring snow, sledding and even Santa, the festival took place at the entrance of Saint Mary's School, at the intersection of Hillsborough and Saint Mary's streets. Attendees met Santa and WRAL News reporters and anchors, along with Matt Iseman, host of NBC's Emmy-nominated reality show "American Ninja Warrior." The free event also featured food trucks and music.

The Winter Wonderland followed the annual Raleigh Christmas Parade downtown. Marching bands, dancers, classic cars, floats and even a flying shark were among the 115 entries in the parade. Santa and Mrs. Claus made their traditional holiday entry at the end of the two-hour event.

An estimated 55,000 people attend the Raleigh Christmas Parade each year, ranking it as one of the largest parades on the East Coast