16 minute read
NORTHCENTRAL REGION
Calendar
Dec. 7 Antigo – Christmas Parade & Chili Cook-off Dec. 9 Presque Isle – Olde Time Christmas Dec. 9 Tomahawk – Hometown Christmas Dec. 10 Merrill – Breakfast with Santa Dec. 10 Mercer – Kids Christmas Carnival Dec. 10 Eagle River – Mistletoe Magic Craft Show Dec. 10-11 Three Lakes – Winter Wonderland Craft Show Dec. 21 Land O’ Lakes – Make Music Day Dec. 31 Minocqua – Candlelight Snowshoe Dec. 31 Woodruff – New Year’s Celebration Dec. 31 Eagle River – Candlelight Hike Jan. 7 Tomahawk – STAR Splash (polar bear plunge) Jan. 12-15 Eagle River – Vintage World Championship Derby Jan. 14 Boulder Junction – “Big Fish” Ice Fishing Tournament Jan. 19-22 Eagle River – World Championship Derby Jan. 21 Conover – Ice Fishing Jamboree Jan. 21-22 Merrill – Winterfest Sled Dog Race Jan. 28 to Feb. 25 Merrill – Ice Drags Jan. 27-29 Phillips – Winterfest Jan. 28 Mercer – MECCA Candlelight Ski/Shoe/Hike Jan. 28 Pelican Lake – Spanky (Snowmobile) Ride Jan. 28 Conover – Sno-Buddies Chili & Soup Cook-Off Jan. 28 Mercer – MECCA 30K Skate or Classic Jan. 28 Elcho – Ski Junket Feb. 1-2 St. Germain – Snowmobile Trail Groomer Show Feb. 3-4 Minocqua – Pond Hockey Invitational Tournament Feb. 3-4 St. Germain – St. Germain Radar Run Feb. 4 Minocqua – Ice Cold Beer Festival Feb. 4 Minocqua – Wolf Tracks Rendezvous XC Races Feb. 4 Conover – Cornhole Tournament
It’s a holiday tradition for families
MANITOWISH WATERS – The Manitowish Waters area will be alive with post-Christmas cheer this season when “Marvel in Manitowish Waters” returns with family activities that are either free or low-cost, and definitely fun for all ages. Activities start Dec. 26 and go through Jan. 1. Most are nature-based, but a few will be held indoors.
As part of the Manitowish Waters celebration of winter, the North Lakeland Discovery Center will host Winter Family Play Day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 29. Free drop-in activities include winter scavenger hunts, snow critter building, crafts and horse-drawn sleigh rides sponsored by the Manitowish Waters Chamber of Commerce. Chili-cook-off lunch will be available for $5. Snowshoes will be available for complimentary on-site use. Registration for the snowshoes is not required, but it helps them get an idea of how many are coming. You can register by calling 715-543-2085.
Other events that have taken place in the past include ice-skating, snowshoeing, live music, dances, story hour and crafts, and New Year’s Eve fireworks. Northcentral Region
MERCER – Lovers of snow, skinny skis and snowshoes will have something to shout about come Saturday, Jan. 28. That’s the date the MECCA Trails folks are hosting their Winterfest-focused MECCA 30K Live and other events for both competitive and casual cross-country skiers and ‘shoers.
There are three ski races in the morning followed by the candlelight ski/shoe/hike event that evening. In addition, virtual options (as noted below) can be done between Dec. 17, 2022 and Feb. 19, 2023.
The MECCA 30K welcomes serious skiers, both classic and skate. Skiers will be moderately challenged by the terrain as they climb drumlins, skirt eskers, circle kettles, but they will also be treated to one of the best views of the Turtle-Flambeau Flowage. The 30K can also be done in a “virtual” fashion, whereby skiers do the event on their own schedule.
In the companion Flowage 15K Live, skiers can compete in either the classic or skate division. There is also a virtual option available for this event.
In the Claire d’ Loon 5K Live, skiers can either skate or stride; registration is open to all skiers. This event is a favorite of younger skiers, families and first-time racers. Can’t make it that day? Then opt for the virtual option with the completion date as noted above.
If the above isn’t enough, then whether solo or with a partner tackle the Turtle River Pursuit (has another virtual option). The 22 km race requires two disciplines performed by an individual skier or as a two-member team. The cumulative score is earned by skiing both the 11 km classic leg and the 11 km skate leg.
The Mercer Springs Snowshoe Tour is a non-timed virtual event showcasing the beauty of the MECCA Trails. In this event, participants can walk across a beaver dam before merging with the Klondike Trails.
The candlelight event, which is MECCA’s annual community celebration, is on a one-mile trail lit by 200 luminaria that invites skiers, snowshoers and hikers to enjoy the winter night on Jan. 28. The chalet’s woodstove and bonfires around the chalet will keep everyone warm. The event is free and is designed for families, and dogs are welcome. This is not a competitive event.
Weather Forecast: Lots of fun at Northwoods Blizzard Blast
CONOVER – Is this the year you get caught in a blizzard – of fun? The community of Conover and its partners have just the cure for cabin fever for families near and far. The annual Northwoods Blizzard Blast on Saturday, Feb.18 will warm the hearts of cold weather enthusiasts of all ages. Hours will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. except for the artisan bazaar, which will open at 9 a.m. Spectator admission is free with modest fees for the competitive offerings.
Centered in Conover Community Park, the day’s activities include horse-drawn scenic sleigh rides, ice bowling and slap shot hockey (prizes!). There will be a firefighter challenge competition, along with free archery and snowshoe demonstrations throughout the day. Children will delight in Chilly Charlie’s Children Carnival with various games, as well as pony rides and the Dogsled Dash, in addition to open sledding and ice-skating (loaners available). Teens and adults can challenge others in the giant ski races (one set of 18-foot-long skis for four people!) and the recliner races.
The artisan bazaar at the adjacent Conover Community Center will offer unique, hand-crafted creations ranging from jewelry to winterwear, from wildlife art to chainsaw carvings. Sample and take home artisan breads, dips, cheese and candy. to take the chill off, along with sandwiches, their signature s’mores, snacks and beverages. Beer will be available at the popular “Snow Bar.” Proceeds will benefit area fire and EMS departments.
There will be warming tents and bonfires (heated restrooms too!) Cross-country skiers are invited to check out the nearby Pioneer Creek Recreation Trail groomed for both classic and skate.
The town park is located on Hwy. K just east of Hwy. 45. For more information, call 715-547-8120, visit northwoodsblizzardblast.com or check out Facebook/NorthwoodsBlizzardBlast.
MINOCQUA – Minocqua residents and visitors will have a front-row seat to watch spirited adult pond hockey competition when the newly-formed American Pond Hockey (APH) brings its American Pond Hockey Invitational to the Aqua Bowl in downtown Minocqua on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 3 & 4.
Spectator admission is free. Spectators seated in the large, onland Aqua Bowl bleachers will have an unobstructed view of all the ice-skating action. (And no worry about flying pucks!) Spectators can warm up in the heated shelters. Players can use the 8-person sauna and military-grade shelters.
Organizer and APH founder Will Jeffery said the venue is perfect for a winter classic. In addition to the wooden bleachers, there are restaurants, taverns and lodging facilities within easy walking distance. More facilities are located within a mile or two of the Island of Minocqua, as the downtown is known.
The tournament is open to adults 18 years and older. The tournament comprises four divisions (Elite, Open, Women and 45+). Gameplay is non-contact, 4v4 hockey with 12-inch boards and traditional pond hockey goals (no goalies). Contacted before the Dec. 1 registration deadline, Jeffery said the Open and Vintage divisions should be full (16 teams in each grouping) and likely with wait lists. The Elite and Women’s will be held if sufficient teams sign up. For fees, schedule and other information, go to americanpondhockey.com.
Pool play games will be 4-8:30 p.m. Friday and again beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday. First round of playoffs is at 2:45 p.m. Saturday. Championship games under the lights will start at 8 p.m.
There will be local craft beer, concessions, live music, a family zone with activities for kids, and winter tailgate games for spectators (Saturday night), prize giveaways and the post-tournament party.
RHINELANDER -- Celebrate the holiday season by taking the family to the sixth annual Lights of the Northwoods -- a festive display of lights at Hodag Park in Rhinelander. Lights will be on nightly from 5-9 p.m. starting Friday, Dec. 2 through Sunday, Jan. 1. Hodag Park is located at 590 Rose Street.
Enjoy the lights with newly added holiday music and warming bonfires along the lakeside walking path, or choose to view the displays in the comfort of your vehicle by taking the lighted driving path through the impressive tunnel of lights. Portable restrooms are available throughout the park.
For two weekends in December, enjoy additional activities in the pavilion, including a visit with Santa and photos by Jack Flint, plus concessions of hot beverages, sweets and snacks. Santa will be available for visits and photos from 5-8 p.m. on Dec. 9 and 10, 16 and 17.
Collection of food and monetary donations will be at the end of the driving path and at other locations within the park. Donations help support area food pantries and improve the event’s success for years to come. And start the New Year with a bang! On the evening of New Year’s Day, fireworks will launch from the center of Hodag Park at 7 p.m. sharp. Be sure to arrive early to allow time for parking. The light display, including the driving path and the walking path, will be shortened to accommodate the fireworks launch site. Remember, it’s being held the evening of Jan. 1, not New Year’s Eve as held at other locales.
Listen to the sound of sleigh bells
EAGLE RIVER – Enjoy an enchanting winter sleigh ride through the forest in one of the prettiest places in the Midwest when you travel to Eagle River and hook up with Rocking W Stables. The ringing of sleigh bells, the soft puffs from the beautiful Belgian and Percherons draft horses as they pull the sleigh and the whisper of runners on the fresh snow will be one of your most memorable memories.
Rocking W offers rides Dec. 10-Jan. 1. The whole family can get bundled up in warm winter clothes and climb aboard for the threemile outing. Led by the gentle giants, the sleigh or wagon weaves its way through wooded trails with a halfway point of a warming bonfire, deliciously rich hot chocolate and Christmas cheer! The rides last about an hour, and you just might see wildlife such as white-tailed deer and red squirrels near the trail. Be sure to bring a camera to capture the magic of the trail and the horses.
Rocking W’s bigger sleighs each hold 20-22 people, and they have three of those big sleighs if a large group wants to go together for an outing. They have two vis-à-vis sleighs. One passenger can sit next to the driver of a vis-à-vis sleigh and four to six people can be seated in the back, which has two facing seats. If romance is in the air, cozy up with a loved one in one their cutter sleighs.
Rocking W Stables is located at 1890 Pleasure Island Road just off Highway 45 on Eagle River’s north side. Reservations are required, make them by calling 715-617-6779. For more information, visit rockingwstables-kartway.com.
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Hiller’s Radar Run features fast ice drags, Bikini Run
ST. GERMAIN – Billed as the “Largest winter lake race & bikini run in Wisconsin,” the 2023 Hiller’s Radar Run will take place Friday and Saturday, Feb. 3 & 4 on the West Bay of Little St. Germain Lake.
The Radar Run, in partnership with Straight Line Speed Association event, will feature ISR Pro racing on an ice track in dozens of classes for track records and bragging rights across two days of action-packed racing with hundreds of drivers and thousands of spectators.
Also featured will be fun runs open to all snowmobile enthusiasts who can run either track on their own sleds. Speed runs are on 1,000 feet of shaved ice with 2,000 feet of shutdown. Radar runs are on 660 feet of perfectly packed snow.
The event kicks off Friday at noon with fun runs on the snow track and the men’s swimsuit run culminating the daytime events at 4 p.m. There will also be live music in the tent that night.
Saturday’s events will get underway at 10 a.m. and they go until 5 p.m. The Bikini Run gets underway at 1 p.m. Saturday, on the snow track with one or more drivers seeking to break the 100-mph mark (the 2022 top speed was 104.4). Pledge drive proceeds are donated to Wisconsin breast cancer survivors and local rescue organizations. More than $300,000 has been donated since its inception.
Throughout the two days there will be vendors with snowmobile-related products and services, as well as food, beer and soda in a large heated tent. Signs will direct spectators to designated parking. Shuttles to the lake will be provided by the St. Germain ATV Club. For more information and updates on the races, visit radarracers.com. Northcentral Region
Three Bear, two-, four-, six-, eight-dog races, one great time
LAND O’ LAKES – The Three Bear Sled Dog Races set for the weekend of Feb. 4 & 5 in Land O’ Lakes attracts veteran mushers, as well as newcomers to the sport, from several states and Canada. The races are held in partnership with the Wisconsin Trailblazers Sled Dog Club. Racers will compete for cash prizes in various classes, including 2-, 4-, 6-, and 8-dog. Scheduled also are skijoring and junior events.
The 43rd annual races begin Saturday morning, Feb. 4, at 10 a.m. at the town hall and run through Sunday afternoon, 3 p.m. There are children’s mutt races both days. Admission is free to the public. Food and beverage vendors will be available to serve the spectators. In the past, they have held a craft show/sale and various games were offered during the weekend. Check the chamber’s website for updates on those.
Spectators can station themselves at several spots along the trails, in addition to the start/finish line, to watch the teams. The trails wind through the forests that surround Land O’ Lakes. Be sure to check out the steel statue of the Three Bear Sled Dog, which stands 12 feet tall and 24 feet long, on the corner of Highways 45 and B in Land O’ Lakes.
Phillips WinterFest offers something for everyone
PHILLIPS – Each January in the heart of winter, the Phillips Area Chamber of Commerce organizes WinterFest, which offers a host of family-style events for all to enjoy. The upcoming community event will be Friday-Sunday, Jan. 27-29.
WinterFest on Saturday, Feb. 4 will feature exciting drag races for much of the day. First up, though, is the annual snowshoe race in the morning. Kids games and ice-skating will round out the extracurricular activities open to all. There will be plenty of food
and beverages for sale. Those with a need for speed will try to burn up the track. Featured are the 4x4 ice drag races, truck drag races and snowmobile drag races.
The Phillips Flurry Snowshoe 5K & 10K race/run/walk will offer a “virtual” option to the in-person event on Saturday, Jan. 28. The event will be at the Phillips School Forest, N9199 N. Worcester Road, Phillips. In addition to the adult classes, there will be two youth classes for the 5K: ages 10-19 and 9 and under. There are also team divisions. There will be a 5K course marked at the school forest. Rental snowshoes will be available for a nominal fee by contacting The Silly Goose in Park Fall, 715-762-1970.
Saturday’s ice-fishing contest will be on Duroy, Elk, Long and Wilson lakes. Register in advance at Ross’s Sport Shop or same day register at the Lake Duroy boat landing. Awards and raffles begin at 4 p.m. at Harbor View.
Other events Saturday include bingo for kids (check phillipswisconsin.net for updates and times for this and other events). Saturday evening fireworks at 7 p.m. will light the sky over Elk Lake, with spectators to gather at Elk Lake Park. That’s also the venue for the ice-skating party 6-8 p.m. with hot chocolate, snacks, music and a bonfire. The snowmobile parade Saturday night begins with the lineup at 6 p.m. at Birch Island Resort. It will wind through the chain of lakes to Lake Duroy in time for the fireworks.
On Sunday enjoy the pancake breakfast at Burgers Bar and Grill, 784 N. Lake Ave., Phillips.
