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Snow or shine, Waupaca set for winter festival

The Waupaca Area Chamber of Commerce has planned the first ever Wintervergnügen, a winter festival slated for Friday and Saturday, Jan. 27-28, on the ice of Shadow Lake.

Given this winter’s unseasonably warm temperatures and lack of snow, the chamber may have to modify some of its festivities.

Activities planned for Wintervergnügen include clearing of the ice on Friday night with a snowman building competition and open skating from 4-8 p.m.

Beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, a variety of family friendly activities are scheduled, including ice sculpture demonstrations, ice bowling, a broom ball tournament, children’s ice fishing tournament, snow castle building competition, snowshoe races, and a food and beer tent on the ice above Shadow Lake.

Wintervergnügen will conclude with a fireworks demonstration at dusk.

“Our two concerns right now are ice and snow,” according to Jeff Anderson, the chamber’s director of tourism. “We may have to have a boot race instead of a snowshoe race.”

Statewide, Wisconsin averages 47.7 inches of snowfall each winter, according to the Wisconsin State Climatology Office. The National Weather Service in Green Bay reported 6.3 inches of snow so far this season.

If current weather conditions continue, leaving little snow on the ground and thin ice on the lake, Anderson said the chamber plans to hold many of the planned activities.

Events that do not require snow, such as the ice sculpture demonstrations and the broom ball tournament, will be held. The food and beer tent would relocated nearby to South Park, rather than on the ice.

Admission to the festival is free. However, tournaments and competitions require registration and a fee.

Registration is currently available at the chamber or online for the broom ball tournament, snowman and snow castle building competitions and the children’s ice fishing tournament.

Anderson encouraged those who plan to attend the festival and participate in the contests to visit www.waupacaareachamber.com/event/winter-festival/ for event details and updates.

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