Rain, Snow, Freezing Temperatures Do Not Dampen Enthusiasm of Snowsfest Crowds
Winter Events Are Focus of Les Cheneaux Festival

Three-year-old Jacqueline Brace of Pickford, with (from left) her mother, Tonya Brace, and painter Emily Pieri of Cedarville, selects the color she wants to embellish the butterfly painted on her face. Face painting was offered during Snowsfest Saturday, February 16, in Hessel.

Hundreds of spectators and participants who came to Eastern Upper Peninsula events like Snowsfest in Hessel last weekend experienced a mixed bag of winter weather conditions, including sub-zero temperatures, snow, sun, and even rain that soaked Sunday's activities.

Snowsfest started Friday evening, February 15, with decoration judging and a Caribbean theme pub shuffle. The Runway Bar of Hessel ran away with the pub shuffle contest, sweeping the three categories of best drink, best servers, and best decorations. Owners, employees, and friends of the Runway built a tikistyle, grass roofed bar to top the existing bar, where patrons could sip tropical "Hurricane Wendi" drinks, served in plastic coconuts.

Snow Statue, Window Decorations, Decorating Contest

Seth Haske (left) reacts to his uncle Curt Vaught's win in the Snowsfest Chili Cook-Off. Mr. Vaught beat Mr. Haske by one vote.

Winners

Les Cheneaux Area Artisan Cooperative won first place in the sculpture on ice contest for its massive, purple "Fish Called Wanda." The fish had slides and stairs, and was an instant hit with children during activities Saturday. Kate Otstot of Hessel, Nancy Stuhler of Cedarville, Marilyn Zelovic of Barberton, Ohio, and Hessel, Molly Mathews of Hessel, and Mrs. Otstot's cousins from Texas, Keven Turk and Curt Blust, worked on the fish. Bud Mathews of Hessel helped pile snow for the workers.

In the business division of the snow sculpture contest, First National Bank of Cedarville won first place and the Runway Bar of Hessel won second.

Islands Insurance of Cedarville took first place in the Snow Buddy contest, and Cedarville Foods took second place. Cedar Cove of Cedarville won third place.

Window decoration prizes were awarded to Taylor Lumber of Cedarville for its first place entry, Arfstrom Pharmacy for second place, and Cedarville Inn for third.

Children participating in Snowsfest's Pirate Games Saturday, February 16, try to keep one leg up in the "peg leg" races. Thirty-one children participated in the Pirate Games, organized and led by Great Lakes Boat Building School business manager Michele Fiering, and volunteers.

Clue Hunt, Poker Run,

and 50/50 Raffle

Kristine Moore won the Snowsfest 50/50 raffle prize of $290. Michele Fiering of Hessel won the Snowsfest Clue Hunt by finding the hidden prize at Green Thumb in Cedarville. She won $50 from the Les Cheneaux Chamber of Commerce and a $50 gift certificate from the store. The Saturday Poker Run participation was up by 13 participants from last year, with 97 entries. Bob Hall won first place with four aces. Jennifer Kruger won second place with a hand of four 10s, and Patsy Leeball won third place with a hand of four eights. Dana Torsky won the worst hand award.

Dog Show

Elizabeth Fels of Hessel and her dog, Fox, won the Best Dressed award, mostly for Ms. Fels' stunning flamingo hat.

Working on the Les Cheneaux Artisan Cooperative snow sculpture Friday night, February 15, Marilyn Zelovic of Barberton, Ohio, and Hessel (left) and Kate Otstot of Hessel (center) stop their work briefly while Nancy Stuhler of Cedarville continues carving at the creation, "A Fish Called Wanda."

Liz Merchberger of Cedarville won the obstacle course contest with Turner, who is now prematurely blind, the family said, so the win was quite an accomplishment.

Sabrina Sexton, led by Hailey Sexton of Hessel, won the best trick contest.

Cutest dog awards went to Riley, the recently adopted puppy owned by Paul and Stephanie Smith of Hessel, and Spencer, a shetland sheepdog handled by Jennifer Sherlund.

Chili Cook-Off

The simmering family feud between chili-cooking members of the Haske and Vaught families was stirred again by the first place win of Curt Vaught of Ohio, who beat his nephew, Seth Haske's, chili recipe by only one vote. It is Mr. Vaught's second win in three years, and he was awarded a gift basket, and $50 that he donated back to the Les Cheneaux Chamber of Commerce. Haven Island cottagers Tony Lee and his mother, Ann, tied for third place, with 13 votes each.

Ang-Gio's Restaurant of Cedarville won the commercial division of the contest.

The chili cook-off attracted 17 entries this year.

Fishing and Shanty Contests

Curt Bohn of Hessel won first place in the shanty contest for a Carribbean themed shanty that never actually made it to the ice, he said. Regardless, his creation attracted the eye of judges and won him an $80 Kewadin Casinos gift certificate.

In the fishing contest, Dan Mitchell of Hessel hauled in the longest pike at 28.5 inches. He won $75 for taking first place. Jamie Lambright of Indiana won second place and $50 in the pike contest for a 24.75-inch pike. Both anglers were fishing in Muskie Bay near Cedarville.

In the adult perch fishing contest, Josh Jurek of Cedarville collected $75 for catching the largest perch, at 13.85 inches. Jamie Lambright of Indiana won second place and $50 for a perch that was 13.69 inches. Ted Gough of Cedarville and Bob Grove of St. Ignace tied for third place with perch that were 13.5 inches in length. Each received $25.

The youth fishing division attracted only perch entries. Keely Gough of Cedarville won first place and $40 for her catch of a 13-inch perch. Her brother, Kody Gough, won $25 for his 12.75-inch perch. Silas Dunn won third place and $10 for his 9.25-inch perch.

The contest attracted 40 entries, and 30 fish were weighed at Cedar Pantry, Ace Hardware, and Fish Tales in Cedarville throughout the week-long event.

All of the winning fish were caught in Cedarville, and most were caught on Muskie Bay.

Snowshoe Hare Race

Lee Kanitz of Hessel ran most of the 2.5-mile snowshoe race course across Hessel Bay and Marquette Island, and came in first with a time of 19:56 minutes. He was followed by Riley Maloney of Columbus, Ohio, with a time of 33:56 minutes; Amy Calcaterra of Hessel, with 34:05 minutes; Robin Belonga of Hessel at 34:09 minutes; Liz Merchberger of Cedarville at 35:01 minutes; Mark Graybrau of Algonquin, Illinois, at 37:40 minutes, and Mike Vaught of Pleasant Ridge with 42:57 minutes.

Amy Calcaterra and Robin Belonga, who both work at Mackinac Straits Hospital and Health Center in St. Ignace, said they entered the race as an exercise challenge to add more steps to their day. They are participating in the Upper Peninsula Fit-Up challenge.