Springfield to revive winter carnival

After a 20-year hiatus, Springfield is celebrating all things cold and snowy next month with a winter carnival.
http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20150117/NEWS02/701179962

ublished January 17, 2015 in the Rutland Herald Springfield to revive winter carnival By SUSAN SMALLHEER Staff Writer SPRINGFIELD — After a 20-year hiatus, Springfield is celebrating all things cold and snowy next month with a winter carnival. The Springfield Winter Carnival will be held the weekend of Feb. 6-8, with a community bonfire, a broom hockey tournament, cardboard sled competition, snowshoeing, sledding and skating, according to Springfield’s Parks and Recreation Director Andy Bladyka. Bladyka said Friday the impetus for renewing the winter carnival came from retired Springfield High School teacher John Middleton, who is on the board of directors for the Crown Point Country Club. Bladyka said all the events will take place at the country club. Local organizations participating in the carnival include the Crown Point Country Club, Parks and Recreation, Springfield Hospital, the Edgar May Health and Recreation Center, the Springfield Chamber of Commerce and the Springfield Police Association. “We’re putting this together on short notice,” Bladyka said. “We’re going to build on it and we’ll definitely be holding carnivals in the future.” Bladyka said his research showed that it had been at least 20 years since the town had held a winter carnival. He said when he was a student at Springfield High School, the carnival was held during winter vacation week and high school students would make snow sculptures. He said the organizers chose the first weekend in February to avoid conflicting with the Super Bowl, which this year is being held Feb. 1, and the start of the schools’ winter vacation, which starts President’s Weekend. Bladyka said the carnival is going to open with a community bonfire near the 18th hole at the country club, and near the pond. There will be ice skating and sliding and free hot chocolate, he said. The club house will be open and offer a pub menu, he said. On Saturday morning, there will be a pancake breakfast from 8 to 9:30 a.m., and all-day skating and sliding on the country club grounds. He said a broom hockey tournament will be held starting at 1 p.m. on the pond. He said six-member teams should register with him at the town’s recreation department. Costs are $30 per team. “Broom hockey is a fun thing to do and it will be open to high school students and adults,” Bladyka said. Saturday evening, there will be a disc jockey and a dance at the club house, 7 to 10 p.m. He said it would be a family friendly event. On Sunday, there will be two events, the first, a snowshoe relay race will start at 11 a.m., and run until 1 p.m. Organizer for that event is Christian Craig of the Edgar May Center. A cardboard sled race will be held from 1 to 3 p.m., and people can design their own cardboard sleds. Guidelines can be obtained from Bladyka at the recreation department at 885-2727, or at springfieldrec@hotmail.com. People who want to register for the snowshoe relay races should call Craig at 802-885-2568. Bladyka said he hoped to have both a family division and a business and organization division in the cardboard sled races, which will be held on the hills near the 6th Hole, which is near the clubhouse. Bladyka said the organizers were in need of volunteers to help monitor skating and sliding at the country club. Anyone interested in helping should contact him.