Adam Prudhomme
Beaver Staff
Greater Napanee’s Winter Chill Festival returns to town this Saturday with a new locale but with a lot of event favourites.
Set for the first time in Conservation Park, the festival will once again include tobogganing, wagon rides, snow shoeing, a ball hockey tournament and chili cook-off. New this year will be a children’s outdoor skating rink, sponsored by Century 21, which has been built by members of the Greater Napanee Emergency Services fire department. The Napanee Branch of the Lennox and Addington Library will also hosts crafts and serve as a place to take a break from the cold weather.
Kids are encouraged to bring their own skates and helmets to the outdoor rink, which will stay at the park following the festival for as long as the weather permits.
“We try to change it up every so often so people aren’t getting bored with the same event,” said Annie Manion, economic development coordinator with the Town of Greater Napanee. “We thought the tobogganing would be cool for the kids with the hill, so would the snow shoeing, they could go along the river which might be neat. You wouldn’t get that scenery at the arena. Hopefully it’s not too cold, but cold enough that we’ve got a little snow.”
GNES will also be setting up fire pits and there will be hot chocolate for sale to help keep warm if the weather gets too chilly.
Ball hockey teams can still register for the tournament. The cost is $20 per team and must include a minimum of four players and a maximum of eight, all 18 years of age or older. Goalies must bring full gear, including helmets and players must bring their own sticks. The teams are co-ed and must include two females on the court at all times. Once registered, the teams will be assigned a colour and must wear something of that colour during their game to help differentiate the teams. The top two teams at the tournament will win a prize. The tournament gets underway at 9 a.m. and will be held in the Conservation Park parking lot.
Teams can register by calling Bethany Chadwick at 613-354-3351 ext. 2015 or emailing Bchadwick@GreaterNapanee.com.
For those looking for something other than chilli that day, Chippity Doo Dawg food truck will be on site as well.
The festival will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.