Must-See Michigan Winter Destinations: Zehnder's Snowfest
EDITOR'S NOTE: Each year, journalists in some of Michigan's smaller markets put together a holiday series. This year, our writers wanted to share their favorite winter destinations, to give readers a bucket list for the cold months to come.
FRANKENMUTH — More than 100 snow and ice sculptures will line the streets of Frankenmuth during an annual winter event that transforms the popular Michigan destination into a wonderland.
Zehnder’s Snowfest is scheduled for Wednesday-Sunday, Jan. 24-28. The event has been around for more than three decades, according to John Shelton, vice president of sales and marketing at Zehnder’s of Frankenmuth. The popular restaurant is located at 730 S. Main St.
It's also the first time the event has taken place in a couple of years. Snowfest 2023 was canceled due to warm weather.
The idea for Snowfest formed in fall 1991, when Zehnder’s was exploring ways to bring additional business downtown in the winter. Shelton was approached by Bill Doring and Pete Rumsey, both of Saginaw, with the concept.
The first Snowfest took place in 1992 and drew more than 90,000 people. Today, the festival attracts roughly 125,000.
“We weren’t used to having 2,000 people in Frankenmuth in the wintertime,” Shelton said. “We thought it could work, but we didn’t know it was going to work at that level.”
Snowfest includes a variety of snow sculpting competitions, from high school to world class, as well as ice carving exhibitions and challenges — not to mention an all-things-chocolate baking contest.
Visitors can enjoy musical entertainment, plus magic shows and concerts. An annual fireworks display is slated for 6:45 p.m. Saturday. There's a children's play area with a free petting zoo, pony rides and a musical carousel.
“It's really grown to be one of the premier snow and ice carving events in the Midwest," Shelton said. "If not the United States."
Stephen Hargash, who operates Hargash Artist Studio in Frankenmuth, has been involved with Snowfest since its inception. He was 17 at the time and formed a team with other 17-year-olds to create a sculpture of cherubs.
“My first attempt was not my greatest attempt,” Hargash admitted. “It was a learning process throughout the years of how to go about carving snow."
These days, Hargash participates and helps children sculpt. The adults, Hargash said, work day-and-night for five days, usually through cold and wintry conditions, to turn their ideas into larger-than-life realities.
“I think (Snowfest) consistently brings in good artists to do these pieces,” Hargash said. “I think they consistently bring out a good crowd to check out the arts. I think you give people a good excuse to come to Frankenmuth.”
John Martinez is an artist from nearby Bridgeport. Alongside his son, daughter, and brother, Martinez won the World Class Double Block Snow Sculpting Championship in 2021.
Martinez said sculpting with snow is a "process of elimination."
“You’re taking material away from the block and moving toward what you envision," he said.
Martinez said the event brings the snow and ice carving community together.
“It’s quite brutal sometimes with the temperatures, the wind, the rain, the snow — it’s just hard, hard work. Everybody bonds over that.”
Snowfest brings in some of the best professional snow and ice carvers in the country and around the world, including participants from China, Italy, Germany, England, France, Mexico and Canada.
“Your greatest form of advertisement is word of mouth ... pun intended, it snowballed on us,” Shelton said.
Snowfest is staffed by Zehnder’s employees, but local businesses, restaurants and hotels help accommodate carvers and visitors to make the event a success.
“It's brought a very economic kick to the entire Frankenmuth community,” Shelton said.
Learn more at zehnders.com/snowfest.
— Contact reporter Evan Sasiela at esasiela@livingstondaily.com. Follow him on Twitter @SalsaEvan.
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Must-See Michigan Winter Destinations: Zehnder's Snowfest
