The city of Clintonville will play host to its annual Winter Whirl event, Saturday, Jan. 24.
To help kick off the event, Friends of the Library will conduct a used book sale Thursday, Jan. 22 from 6 to 8 p.m. and Friday, Jan. 23 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Clintonville Public Library. The used book sale will also take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 24.
Ice skating under the lights is also scheduled for Friday, Jan. 23 from 6 to 9 p.m.
“We’re going to open up the warming house at the ice skating rink and have three hours where people can go out there and skate underneath the lights and also come in and enjoy hot chocolate,” said Justin Mc Auly, Parks and Recreation director.
He added, “It’s another family event where hopefully we can get some families down there skating, whether they’re great skaters or amateurs.”
The highlight of the event on Saturday will be the 26th Tummy Warmer Cook-off at the Clintonville Recreation Center. Those participating in the contest will compete in the following categories: mild chili, hot chili, chicken soup, and a miscellaneous category.
Mc Auly said walk-in contestants will be accepted, but preregistering beforehand is preferred. Contestants should call 715-823-7660 to register.
Doors will open at 8 a.m. for participants so they can bring their entries, and warm them up for the start of judging at 9 a.m., Mc Auly said. First, second and third place will be awarded for each category. Award winners will receive a chili pot trophy. A trophy will also be awarded to the contestant who receives the people’s choice award.
At 10 a.m., after the judging has concluded, the doors will be open to the public. The chili and soup will be sold to the public. A four ounce bowl will be sold for 50 cents, while an eight ounce bowl will be sold for $1. Chili and soup will be sold until it’s gone, or 2 p.m.
A community pie and ice cream social will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday at the Clintonville Community Center. Homemade pie, ice cream and coffee or milk will be available for $2.
Also on Saturday, a craft and vendor faire will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the community center and the recreation center.
Grayling Pingel will provide live music at the recreation center from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
New this year is will be the showing of a movie at the recreation center Saturday evening.
“We got a movie license to air one movie per month, the next three months. The first one is going to be done during Winter Whirl, kind of as a pilot program to see how it goes,” Mc Auly said.
He added that he found records that the city used to show movies like this back in the 1980s.
The movie, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” from 1990 will be shown in the gym at the recreation center, starting at 6:30 p.m. The movie will be projected onto the white rectangle painted on the backside of the stage.
Attendees can bring foldable lawn chairs, bean bags, blankets, etc. to use for viewing the movie. Steel folding chairs will also be on hand that can be used. Concessions will also be available.
“We used to have it at one time,” Mc Auly said. “It used to be really successful. I know families like to go and watch movies together. This is one I wanted to do to get the families to come in. … I wanted to have something where the family itself can come in and enjoy it.”
Admission for the movie is $2.50 per person. The movie is 93 minutes in length.
“It’s a movie I enjoyed at one time so hopefully for a lot of the parents out there it was something they grew up watching and now hopefully their kids can come and enjoy it with them,” Mc Auly said.
A children’s carnival will be held at St. Rose St. Marys School on Sunday, Jan. 25 from 1 to 3 p.m.