Sign up for the battlefordsNOW newsletter

2nd annual Wintertainment off to great start

Feb 16, 2016 | 10:50 AM

Wintertainment Week has been on for two days and already has far surpassed 2015’s attendance numbers.

“Because of the temperature last year we only had 40 or 50 people,” Ryan Bater, Executive Director of Destination Battlefords, said. “[Today] we’ve had over 400 people…so it’s a success. You always want to build on that when you’re having events year after year.”

Wintertainment Week officially began Sunday Feb. 14 at the River Valley Visitor Centre, where people could play broom ball, go snowshoeing or cooking wieners over an open fire.

Bater said the horse drawn sleigh rides on Valentine’s Day was the big draw on the first day.

“We figured if you’re looking for something to do on Valentine’s Day, what’s more romantic than a sleigh ride in the snow? So we thought it would be the perfect day for this.”

The aquatic centre was the Wintertainment place to be on Family Day with activities from 3-5 p.m.

Swimmers could take 40 laps around the lazy river as part of the two-kilometre river race or try to melt a ball of ice with a shirt inside it as part of the frozen t-shirt contest. The water was also dyed blue for the day.

It’s Giant Game Day at the NationsWEST Field House on Tuesday. People can play giant versions of games like Snakes & Ladders, Connect 4, Kerplunk and many others.

Bill Samborski, director of leisure services for the City of North Battleford, said these events are just the tip of the iceberg.

“We have professional ice sculpting from a company called Fire and Ice Creations. We’re very excited to have that. It’s the first time it’s been done in many years in our community. Folks can come and bring a lawn chair, go skating on the synthetic ice, grab a hot chocolate and watch that person carve that ice sculpture.”

The ice sculpting is between 12-5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 17 at the Rotary Plaza.

On Thursday, Feb. 18 admission fees from 50 years ago will be brought back at the CUplex. Adults will pay 25 cents, students pay 10 cents and children 5 cents.

 A full schedule of other events can be found at the Battlefords website.

ghiggins@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @realgreghiggins