The Town of Colton is expanding its Passport to Winterfest activity to encourage even more people to participate in a variety of indoor and outdoor activities during its annual winter festival. The passport activity began in 2014 with the help of Angela, Marylee and John Ballou who hand carved the first set of stamps, including a horse-drawn sleigh for the Sleigh Rides, used to mark the passport forms. Now Colton-Pierrepont Central School art teacher Krystal Hewer is carving more stamps for the expanded activity this year which will highlight twenty-two events. Players will have to get passport forms stamped at least at 14 of the 22 events to be eligible to win awards.

COLTON -- The Town of Colton is gearing up for its annual Winterfest Weekend with dozens of indoor and outdoor activities from Jan. 29 to 31 including a presentation on wolves, a variety of races, sleigh rides, food and the “Art Around Town” display.

Adirondack Wildlife Refuge personnel will be on stage at the Colton-Pierrepont Auditorium with one of their resident wolves on Sunday, Jan. 31, at 2 p.m.

The Refuge, located in Wilmington, is a rehabilitation facility that helps injured and orphaned wildlife return to their natural habitat. The program is free to K-12 students. A donation of $5 per adult is appreciated but not required. Monies raised will be used for Winter Quest expenses and for the area neighborhood food pantry.

For the outdoors and sporting types be sure to check out the Colton-Pierrepont boy’s basketball team will take the court against St. Regis Falls on Friday night. Friday also marks the first night of open skating at the pavilion.

Saturday races and sporting events include a the Rod Thomas Memorial Higley Hustle, bubble soccer, recreational snowshoeing and skiing, Frosty’s Dash snowshoe races, a rock-n-skate event, a broomball mid-season tournament, 10-mile foot race, and a snowmobile safety course.

Those looking to be active on Sunday can try out the hoop shoot/foul shooting contest, frying pan toss and recreational snowshoeing and skiing.

The “Art Around Town” display opens on Friday night. Thirteen school art club students are painting two murals to be displayed around town during the festival. The two designs, one by Destiny Gilbert and the other by Ariel Garvin, were selected through an online contest open to the school and larger community. Plus they are painting a barn quilt to be permanently installed on the new Nature Center at Higley Flow State Park.

Food will be sold all during the celebration including a pizza sale at the school on Friday from 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday will kick off with a pancake breakfast from 7 to 11 a.m. at the Mason’s High Falls Lodge, 85 Main St. A “chilifest”, cookie decorating and an all-you-can-eat spaghetti dinner are also planned on Saturday. Music by students and Mary Ann Casale will be performed during the meal and the citizen of the year award will be given out.

Other things to do on Saturday include health and craft fairs, beer tasting, music by Nick Rycroft and Divided Road, library story hour, sales and silent auctions, a quilt show, sledding and a clothing, shoes and boots giveaway.

Start your Sunday by filling up during the 4th annual international breakfast. From there join in activities during “Family Day” at Higley Flow State Park. Sleigh rides, sled dogs, kennel tours and rides, sales and silent auction, and a quilt show round out activities for Jan. 31.

Winterfest attendees can win gift cards and certificates by participating in the “Passport to Winter Quest.” Those who get stamps for attending at least 14 of 22 events will be eligible to win. Winners will be announced on Sunday at 4 p.m. A $50 gift certificate will be given to someone 17 and older and a $25 gift card will be given to a person under age 17.

In addition to being a fun-filled weekend, the festival benefits the Neighborhood Center serving Colton, Pierrepont and Parishville. People can contribute through a silent auction at the Colton Methodist Church and a raffle for a 2x2 painted barn quilt at the Colton Town Hall. Also donation cans will be available during the spaghetti dinner on Saturday at school. Entry fees for the frying pan toss being held by Amvets Post 262 will be contributed to the Neighborhood Center.

To learn more about Winterfest check the schedule detailing days, times and locations of all planned activities visit www.townofcolton.com/winterfest.html or visit the Town of Colton page on Facebook.

For more info contact Grace Hawley at 262-2439 and Scott Muller at 244-9956.