Caribbean Theme Is Set for Snowsfest This Week
Les Cheneaux Winter Celebration

In northern countries around the world, the custom of burning the figure of a snowman is a symbolic wish to bring an end to winter.

In Switzerland, a giant snowman shoots fireworks from its head while it burns. In the Les Cheneaux Islands, Snowsfest participants gather at the edge of Lake Huron to burn a tall, paper snowman built by high school students. Regardless of the local custom, the meaning is the same: The end of winter couldn't come soon enough.

So as Snowsfest marks its 45th year, participants will again torch the snowman Saturday, February 16, sending a wish for warmer days up in smoke. The ceremonial start of Snowsfest will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, near Hessel Municipal Marina, a change from the previous Friday night burning. This year, Friday night, February 15, activities will be mostly indoors as the first Snowsfest Pub Shuffle invites people to local taverns to sample Caribbean-style drink specials and vote on drinks, servers, and Snowsfest theme decorations. Ballots can be picked up at the bars, and dropped off at the Snowsfest tent near Hessel Marina before 2 p.m. Saturday.

Snow statues, window decorations, and Snow Buddy snowman forms will be judged at 5 p.m. Friday, so anyone who wants to enter their creation must do so before 5 p.m. that day. Register by calling the Les Cheneaux Welcome Center at 484-3935.

This year's "Caribbean of the North" theme reflects a warmer climate. The Sunday afternoon Ice Hole golf scramble will award a prize for best Caribbean attire. The Great Lakes Boat Building School will host children's "pirate games" in Hessel Saturday at 10:30 a.m. There is no charge.

The Ice Hole is a two-person, nine-hole scramble on the ice near Hessel, and will start at 1 p.m. Sunday. In addition to the Caribbean attire prize, the new event will award cash prizes or rounds of golf at Wild Bluff in Brimley, Hessel Ridge Golf Course, Les Cheneaux Golf Club in Cedarville, St. Ignace Golf Course, The Rock on Drummond Island, and Hidden River in Brutus. Teams can participate for $20, and can enter before the event by calling Allyson Torsky or Kathy Trevarrow at 484-2226. Registration will also be available at the Islander Bar in Hessel from noon to 12:30 p.m.

Most of the other Snowsfest activities will be based at the warmup tent in near Hessel Marina throughout the weekend. The threeday event will end Sunday, February 17, with announcement of the Snowsfest fishing contest winners at 3 p.m. at Cedar Pantry.

The fishing contest is already underway, and began February 8. The contest costs $5 to enter, and participants must register before they enter a fish. Prizes will be awarded for the longest pike and longest perch in the youth and adult divisions. The contest will continue through the time of awards. Register and measure fish at Fish Tales, Cedarville Ace Hardware, and Cedar Pantry, all in Cedarville. Fishing boundaries are Prentiss Bay to the east and St. Martins Bay to the west.

While out on the ice fishing, both contestants and non-competitive anglers are encouraged to decorate their shanties in a Carribean theme, or enter any interesting, unusual, or elaborate shanties in the shanty contest. Register shanties at the Islander by telling staff the name of the shanty and its location. Shanties will be judged Sunday.

The bulk of Snowsfest's action will be Saturday, starting with an 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. breakfast at the Islander.

The snowman burning, Snowsfest children's story hour at Les Cheneaux Community Library in Cedarville, and the traditional Blessing of the Snowmobiles will all start at 10 a.m. The snowmobile blessing will be performed by Pastor Jerry Wittmus of Bethel Lutheran Church in Cedarville.

Poker run registration will take place from 10 a.m. to noon at the warm-up tent, sending snowmobiling contestants to destinations in DeTour Village, Hessel, Cedarville, St. Ignace, and Moran. Directions and a list of participating businesses will be available at the registration station in the Snowsfest tent. The run will end at the Islander between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Winners are usually announced within two hours of the end of the run.

A change is the location of this year's craft show, which will be at Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church in Hessel from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors can expect a wide array of locally made art, crafts, and food.

Food will be available at the Snowsfest warm-up tent during the day; or spectators may want to sample the many chili recipes presented in the annual Chili Cook-Off. The cook-off is open to everyone who would like a chance at winning the contest by popular vote. Chili samplers vote in a blind taste test for $3 each round of tasting. Two divisions, commercial and personal, will award prizes to the best business and best homemade entries. Enter the contest by calling the Welcome Center, or by bringing chili to the warm-up tent.

Other Saturday events include horse drawn sleigh rides in Hessel from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. A clay pigeon shoot will also start at 11 a.m., at Les Cheneaux Sportsman's Club east of Cedarville, and continue until dark.

Children's games will start at 11 a.m. and continue through 1 p.m.

The third annual Snowshoe Hare Race will start at 1 p.m., and participants must meet at the warm-up tent, where the race course will be revealed. Anyone can participate with their own snowshoes, or they can reserve snowshoes by calling 484-4157 or by visiting Woods and Water Ecotours on Pickford Avenue in Hessel. Limited equipment is available. Snowshoes of any construction are allowed. Trekking or ski poles are also permitted. The race is for people ages 10 years and older. There are seven age divisions, including ages 10-14, ages 14-17, ages 18-29, ages 30-39, ages 40-49, ages 50-59, and ages 60 and older. All divisions will race at the same start time, and prizes will be awarded when everyone completes the race.

A cross-country ski tour will be offered at 1:30 p.m. at the Peek-ABoo Trail on West State Avenue in Cedarville, off Blind Line Road. The tour will be guided, and takes participants through Cedarville's only cross-country ski trail, developed by volunteers and students of the Cedarville Alternative Community Education program. The trail is maintained by volunteers, and winds through public land, under towering pines, and to the top of one the area's tallest hills.

Adog show at 2 p.m. invites dog owners to bring their pets to show off the best costumes, tricks, and ability to run an obstacle course. Spectators should arrive early, as the popular event always attracts a lot of attention.

Clark Township Emergency Services volunteers will perform a winter water rescue demonstration at 2:30 p.m. If conditions allow, they will show how they rescue people who fall through the ice.

Saturday activities will wrap up with the Lucas Izzard Foundation for Teens spaghetti dinner and dessert bake-off contest from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Community Center in Cedarville. Dessert entries should be dropped off at the community center between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. for judging. Winners in the contest will receive prizes for the top four desserts picked by judges. The organization will also sponsor the Izzard Blizzard dance for teens and up from 9 p.m. to midnight at the Community Center. All proceeds will benefit the organization's efforts to help teens.

The Cardboard Box Sled Races will return to the Les Cheneaux Community Schools sledding hill Sunday, with new prizes and trophies. Register for the event by calling Ross Sherlund or Jason Haske, who are making trophies for the event. Prizes will be awarded for race winners and the winners of other contests.

Snowsfest schedules with times and places can be obtained by calling the Les Cheneaux Welcome Center at 484-3935, and are available at any Cedarville or Hessel business.

All events are free to people wearing Snowsfest buttons, which are $4 each. A schedule of events is published inside this issue.