Winterfest set for Saturday at Heritage Park

Don Reid, Coldwater Daily Reporter
·3 min read

COLDWATER — Winterfest is set for this Saturday at Heritage Park after a decision was made to move all the festival’s events from downtown.

The cold weather around 30 degrees with snow is perfect for the planned activities which start at 10 a.m. and run until 2 p.m.

The giant snowman stands on Western Avenue at the entrance to Heritage Park as welcome to Winterfest.
The giant snowman stands on Western Avenue at the entrance to Heritage Park as welcome to Winterfest.

Julie Santure, the city’s community enrichment director said last year’s most popular event was held at Kiwanis Hill next to the Browne’s Recreation Center.

The cardboard sled races “a fundraising event was a huge hit. We found that once they were done, people wanted to do other things. Going downtown and seeing the carvers down there, it was too spread out.”

Logwood carvers will be set up outside the rec center. Ice carving was abandoned after 2018 because of warmer weather, availability, and cost.

The sled race is a chance to build a one-of-a-kind cardboard sled and race down Kiwanis Hill for a chance to prove that you are faster than the rest. You can only use cardboard, duct, tape, and glue but you can decorate it in any way you want. There are prizes for design. The event starts at 11 a.m. on the man-made sledding hill west of the center.

Public works will use its snow-making machine to make sure Kiwanis Hill is covered for the cardboard sled races Saturday for Winterfest.
Public works will use its snow-making machine to make sure Kiwanis Hill is covered for the cardboard sled races Saturday for Winterfest.

There are four classes for those aged 10 and under, ages 11 to 17, and adults and teams.

You must register by Friday afternoon online at coldwater.recdesk.com.

RegisterFollow this link to register for the Cardboard sled races.

“We're going to have inflatables inside the building. The library is inside the building doing games for kids. Eby Center is going to be here doing crafts,” Santure explained.

With the carvers outside and the large park space, “It also allows us to have the sled dogs. We're going to have draft horses pulling wagon rides. There's just, we can do a whole lot more here in the park.” There will also be a portable ice-skating rink.

The Browne Recreation Center will house Winterfest events inside with free hot chocolate and Smores.
The Browne Recreation Center will house Winterfest events inside with free hot chocolate and Smores.

And with temps in the low 30s, there is the warm space in the Browne center. “Last year it was so cold people wanted to come inside. We didn't have anything really to do when they got in here.”

Santure said, “It’s more of a festival atmosphere here in the park with a lot more options. It's all free. Kids can come in and jump on the inflatables. We have free hot cocoa and free smores. There will be a lot to do for kids and families that day.”

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The city took over all three downtown festivals, Strawberry, Applefest, and Winterfest from the Chamber of Commerce in 2019 where they promoted downtown and its businesses.

With Winterfest heading to Heritage Park, Audrey Tappenden, director of the Coldwater Main Street Program said there are now plans for another event.

On Saturday, Feb. 4, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., the Coldwater Main Street Program plans a “Love Local valentines theme event featuring the Winterfest dropped soup and chili cook-off, downtown deals, live music, a photo booth, and a card-making station at various businesses.

— Contact Don Reid: dReid@Gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DReidTDR.

This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Winterfest set for Saturday at Heritage Park after moving from downtown