Crowds Gather for Winter Fun in Mackinaw City

Top: Miss Mackinaw City, a student ambassador for the Mackinaw City Chamber of Commerce, prepares to call the time of the winning outhouse during the Winterfest Outhouse Race Saturday, January 20, in Mackinaw City. Samantha Lucier of Cheboygan High School, who serves as Miss Mackinaw City, represents the village at events throughout the region. The winning outhouse sliding down the track, called Jack's Bus, is run by a team from the Cheboygan area that includes Gavin, Rob, and Brianna Wenger, as well as Brad and Mark Stempky. It is the second year the team won the Golden Toilet Seat Award. Their 2006 golden toilet seat is mounted to the back of the outhouse.

For the second year, the Flamingo Flushers bring bright pink decorations to the white, snowy track of the Mackinaw City Outhouse Race, spicing up the village's Winterfest Saturday, January 20. Pictured here (from left) are Kelli Eby of Mackinaw City, Cindy Sue of Lansing, and Heather O'Brien of Mackinaw City. Asizable crowd mills around before and during the race, which is part of a three-day event that includes indoor and outdoor ice skating, a fish fry, musical events, a poker walk, sleigh and wagon rides, a chili cook-off, games, a euchre tournament, and snow carving.