ELY – The 2022 edition of the Ely Winter Festival is just weeks away and old man winter seems to be cooperating with organizers. The city of Ely plays a big part in providing a variety of in-kind support for the festival, scheduled for Feb. 3-13, that is held mostly on public property.
City crews, with help from volunteers, built and filled numerous snow sculpture forms in Whiteside Park late last week. City crews will also help to hang and install lighting in the park to light the competed snow sculptures during the festival, remove snow from the sidewalk and curb of the north side of Whiteside Park on Sheridan Street, set up ‘no parking” signs on the north side of the park, set up barricades on the east and west sides of the park to prevent vehicles from entering the park, clear a small area by the pavilion for portable toilets, and clear snow and fill forms at the Front Porch Coffee and Tea Co. and Carefree Living for additional snow sculptures.
Ely Flower and Seed will develop their annual ice skate rink in Whiteside Park.
The Ely Winter Festival kick-off event is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 4, beginning at 6:30 p.m.in Whiteside Park with torch bearers.
Winter festival fans are invited to come to Whiteside Park on Friday, Feb. 4, from 3-4:30 p.m., to check out how to play the classic indigenous game of Snow Snakes.
Ely Folk School board member Rick Anderson will walk through the strategy and technique behind the game. Participants can also learn how to forage, carve, and decorate their own snow snake. Anderson is a life-long Ely resident and member of the Bois Forte Band of Ojibwe.
The event is free. For more information, go to www.elyfolkschool.coursestorm.com.