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Canton's Winterfest kicks off; wine tastings, music, snow sculpting, pool tournament and more planned through Feb. 15

Posted 2/6/14

By LISA HOOVER This year’s Canton Winterfest will include many returning favorites like wine tasting, snow sculpting, and lots of food, along with several new activities. The festival kicked off …

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Canton's Winterfest kicks off; wine tastings, music, snow sculpting, pool tournament and more planned through Feb. 15

Posted

By LISA HOOVER

This year’s Canton Winterfest will include many returning favorites like wine tasting, snow sculpting, and lots of food, along with several new activities.

The festival kicked off tonight with the annual chamber dinner at the Best Western University Inn. Many Winterfest events take place Friday and will continue through Saturday, Feb. 15.

New activities will include a “beer and food pairing” at the St. Lawrence Brewing Company, a “glass slipper” ball to benefit Renewal House, a history presentation by Linda Casserly, and a “café and play” for moms and tots.

The brewing company will offer beer along with food by the Blackbird Café Feb. 8 at 7 p.m.

Casserly will offer a history presentation Feb. 11 at 1 p.m., with glassplate negatives and photos from the 1950’s, a “true history of Canton,” according to Canton Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Sally Hill.

The “café and play” will be hosted by the Morley Wesleyan Church Feb. 13 at 10 a.m. Its so kids – and moms – can “get out and shake off the winter blues,” Hill said. The church also has a beanbag toss planned for Feb. 7 at 6 p.m.

Also new this year, the VFW will host a pool tournament Feb. 15 at noon to benefit the Wounded Warriors Sled Hockey program.

The “make your own sushi was so popular last year they are bringing that back,” Hill said, referring to the Nature’s Storehouse event that debuted last year. This year’s workshop will be Feb. 12 at 6:30 p.m.

The event will also include the “regular wine tastings, all kinds of food and activities,” she said.

Public skating and youth and teen hockey will also return this year at the Canton Pavilion, along with several hockey games at both the college and high school level.

A snow sculpture contest will be offered throughout Winterfest on the Village Green. Prizes will be awarded following judging Feb. 15. Other outdoor activities will include sledding events at Little River and SUNY Canton.

Those interested in athletics can join the Polar Bear Golf Classic Feb. 13 at the St. Lawrence University course.

Wine connoisseurs will have several options for tastings, with events planned at Riverside Liquors Feb. 7 at 5 p.m., Bessette’s Feb. 8 at 1 p.m., Dave’s Upstairs Banquet Room Feb. 14 at 4 p.m., and Ye Olde Liquors Feb. 15 at 3 p.m. The event at Dave’s, hosted by the Zonta Club, will include a bake sale and Valentine’s Day gift sale.

The chamber’s annual dinner will be Thursday, Feb. 6 at Eben Holden, St. Lawrence University, with social hour to start at 6 p.m. The dinner will include honors for this year’s Member of the Year, Frazer Computing, and the Chamber Recognition Awardee winner, the Luck Brothers construction company.

Grasse River Players will offer “Almost Maine,” a whimsical comedy about love in a small town Feb. 13 through Feb. 15 at 7:30 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church.

The walking tour of Canton’s churches will also return this year, with the event to begin with a soup dinner at St. Mary’s Church at 5 p.m. A bagpiper will lead participants on a tour of local churches, followed by refreshments.

Another highlight will include a chamber raffle for a chainsaw carving of a penguin on skis by carver Terry Mckendree. The carving is “the cutest thing you have ever seen in your life,” Hill said.

McKendree will also offer a carving demonstration during Winterfest at Coakley’s Carpet One Ace Hardware Feb. 8.

The carving, donated by Janet Favro, is currently on display at North Country Savings Bank, but will travel around the village during Winterfest.

Raffle tickets are available at the chamber office for $5 each, or five for $20.

Also returning are the Winterfest buttons, which will offer the chance to win prizes ranging from gift certificates, to a dinner and movie date, to an overnight Lake Placid get-away.

For more details and a full schedule, see the Winterfest Tabloid, included in the Feb. 5 edition of North Country This Week.