Winterfest
A two day commercial festival established in 1925 by local merchants, Winterfest is held on the first weekend of February, and the whole town normally comes out to enjoy the festivities, weather allowing. The town's merchants sponsor a parade that starts in the Merchant District and ends at Independence Square. There is a snowman (for children) and snow sculpture (for those eighteen and older) building contest on the Common, along with numerous booths selling hot drinks, roasted nuts, and warm snacks. Several small bands normally brave the elements to regale the crowds from the bandstand, and finally there is an indoor pageant to select an annual Winter Queen to rule over the festival.
The Winter Queen reigns over the events, gets her picture in both newspapers, retains her crown as a keepsake, and wins several exciting prizes.
Young women of the area who wish to compete for the title of Winterfest must make their interest known to the reconstituted Winterfest Committee several weeks before the evening of the competition. While the Committee does exercise remarkable patience with the contestants, the organizers and judges refuse to deal with the cascade of anxious entrants who inevitably field themselves at the last minute. Therefore, the final date for Winter Queen entrants is January 31st. No exceptions, girls!
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