Taste-testing chili recipes and watching outhouse sled racers slide by are among many events to be offered at the Mackinaw City Winterfest Thursday, January 14, through Saturday, January 16. Many of the events throughout the three-day festival are free with the purchase of a $2 Winterfest button from the Mackinaw City Chamber of Commerce and the Candy Cor- ner Windjammer Gifts store.

Activities will be hosted throughout Thursday and Friday by different Mackinaw City businesses. The Mackinaw City Recreation Center will have indoor ice skating the first two days of the event, and there will be a bonfire by the outhouse race track by Shepler's Mackinac Island Ferry Friday from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Many bars and restaurants will offer specials, music, and dancing during the first two days of the festival. Snow carving will begin Thursday and end Saturday, weather permitting. Snow carving prizes will be awarded Saturday at 1:15 p.m.

Games and contests will take place Saturday. The day begins with a round of ice fishing at the Paradise Lake Marina from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Registration is $15 and the first 100 entries will receive a Winterfest pin. A $300 prize will be given for each of the three categories: largest walleye, largest pike, and largest panfish. If no fish are caught for one of the categories, the prize money will be granted through a drawing.

Contestants can also join a side pot for a $5 fee. The first angler to catch a legal walleye will win 20% of the pot, the first one to catch an eight-inch perch will win 20%, and another 20% will be meted out through a drawing at the end of the contest. The remaining 40% will benefit the Friends of Paradise Lake organization. The pot will be a minimum of $50. Competitors do not need to be present during the entire competition.

At 10:30 a.m. the Candy Corner and Windjammer Gifts will host a poker walk. Prizes will be awarded for the best hand at 1:35 p.m.

From 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. people will visit American Legion Post 159 and taste-test five different entries in a chili cook-off contest. Anyone with a Winterfest pin can test the chili and submit a vote for their favorite to win the "People's Choice" award. Awards will be given at 12:30 p.m. Those interested in competing in the contest can contact the Mackinaw City Chamber of Commerce. Only the first five entries will be accepted, said Dawn Edwards of the chamber.

Residents and visitors can also enjoy a horse-drawn sleigh ride from noon to 2:30 p.m. in front of Marshall's Fudge. The ride is free, and travels along the Mackinaw City waterfront and throughout the village.

Frozen fish tossing, broom hockey, and frozen chicken bowling games will be open to all ages from 12:45 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. near the Mackinaw City marina lawn.

Customized outhouses on sleds will go racing down two tracks in the Shepler's Ferry parking lot from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. The outhouse races have drawn heavy competition for five years in Mackinaw City, and have seen many creative designs over the years, such as a Christmasthemed "Santa's Number Two Stop" and a teepee-shaped outhouse.

The competition offers people a chance to see an unusual race, said Race Chairman Greg Yoder.

The event has drawn strong turnouts with as many as 10 or more teams participating and more than 200 spectators enjoying the action. The race is conducted with or without snow.

Anyone interested in joining may contact the Mackinaw City Chamber of Commerce for registration information and rules. Teams consist of five members, with one member riding inside the outhouse and the other four pushing or pulling it down the race track.

Among the teams participating in the outhouse races one may be from the television sports channel ESPN, Mr. Yoder said. The channel contacted Mr. Yoder, asking for an outhouse to race during the event.

Winterfest Events

Thursday, January 14

• 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. - Indoor Ice Skating at Mackinaw City Recreation Center

• All day Snow Sculpting (Weather Permitting)

Friday, January 15

• 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. - Ice skating with Music at Mackinaw City Recreation Center

• 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. - Outhouse Race Bonfire by Shepler's Ferry

• All day Snow Sculpting (Weather Permitting)

Saturday, January 16 • 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. - Ice Fishing Competition at Paradise Lake

• 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. - Poker Walk at Candy Corner and Windjammer Gifts

• 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. - Chili Cook Off at American Legion Post 159

• Noon to 2:30 Sleigh Rides at Marshall's Fudge

• 12:45 to 1:50 Outdoor Games by Mackinaw City Marina Lawn

• 1:15 p.m. - Snow Sculpting Awards

• 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. - Outhouse Races

• 8 p.m. to Midnight Audie's Black Tie Scholarship Ball