The 2011 Iola Winter Carnival will be held Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 5-6.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the event.

The Winter Carnival Weekend kicks off at 8 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 5, with an ice sculpture contest. Everyone is welcome to enter. To register, call Marsha Mueller, Iola-Scandinavia (I-S) High School Art Department, at 715-445-2411.

The Iola Lake District will sponsor an ice fishing contest on Saturday for children ages 16 and under. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Lake Iola.

The annual Badger State Games ski jumping competition is held in conjunction with the Iola Winter Carnival. Opening ceremonies are slated for noon Saturday at Norseman Hill. Food and refreshments are available.

Other activities for Saturday include a Norwegian lutefisk supper and indoor craft sale from 1 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the I-S High School. The lutefisk and fresh cod with drawn butter will be served family-style, along with meatballs, potatoes, vegetable, lefse and Norwegian pastries. Tickets are $12 each and $5 for children under 12. There is free admission to the craft show.

The Nordic combined cross-country race will start at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 6, at the Iola Winter Sports Club (IWSC) complex, E398 County Road MM, Iola. The Central USSA ski jumping event will take place at noon on Norseman Hill. Admission is charged for a souvenir button. Food and refreshments will be available. All ski events are located at the IWSC complex located five miles northwest of the village of Iola.

A Winter Carnival raffle is sponsored by Iola Lions, American Legion Post 14 and IWSC. The raffle includes $1,000, $500, $250, $250, four $100 cash prizes and numerous merchandise prizes. The drawing will take place Sunday, Feb. 6, at the ski hill. Winners need not be present to win.

For more Iola Winter Carnival information, call 715-445-4005.