In perfect alignment with the rest of the world, our Madison Winter Festival falls smack in the middle of the ongoing Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. So for two days last weekend (February 20 and 21, 2010) we peeled our eyes off the Olympics triumphs and agonies on our television screens to troop down to Madison picturesque downtown to actually play, compete, frolic and cheer in the snow, both under our feet and on top of our heads.
The festival is around the eight city blocks, creating a 500-meter course that square our imposing state capitol building which is pretty much an exert replica of the US Capitol building in Washington DC. The marbled capital edifice seats smack on the Isthmus dividing the city into four cardinal quarters overlooking two of the four lakes within the city – Lake Mendota and Lake Monona.
The Madison Winter Festival according to the primary organizers “is a weekend of winter celebration which was established in 2004 to promote fun and healthy lifestyles during winter by showcasing snow sports, festive recreational activities and opportunities to participate for everyone including individuals with mobility limitations”. The first event was held in January 2005.
True to its billing and as always…the festival did not disappoint. As I left work on Friday evening, the four streets squaring the capitol, Pinckney, Main, Carroll and Mifflin, were cordoned off while snow was being trucked in and paved over the road pavement to form a thick coat of ice for the various races and events. Various sponsors were also not left out in setting up their banners and music stands, just as various beverage vendors were also setting up their stands.
On Saturday proper, you would think you were in Vancouver as all the skiers were donned in their ski suits with their tag numbers firmly in place and boisterous supporters milling around and making the event a great winter celebration. To underscore the importance of this event, some of the participants in the previous year, are actually competing in various events in the Winter Olympics in Vancouver this week. We are further proud that we have University of Wisconsin, Madison students/graduates among the US team, especially in the powerful male and female hockey squads.
Among the popular events in the festivities included Cross country ski racing, Snow shoeing, Snowball Rail Jam, Tubing and Ice and Snow Sculpture. The events were not just for the professional skiers among us but the lanes were open for the public irrespective of their skill level. Folks on wheelchairs were also part of the fun and exercise. The inclusive nature of the gathering is a hallmark of Madison traditions that often bring our community together and create joy even in the midst of what other cities or regions of the country would complain as being frigid, snowy and inclement weather…for us, we get out there an play. As the scheduled festival packed up, some of us headed back to our frozen deep lakes for rounds of ice-fishing and more lake sculpting…I will be sharing that soon.
In perfect alignment with the rest of the world, our Madison Winter Festival falls smack in the middle of the ongoing Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. So for two days last weekend (February 20 and 21, 2010) we peeled our eyes off the Olympics triumphs and agonies on our television screens to troop down to Madison picturesque downtown to actually play, compete, frolic and cheer in the snow, both under our feet and on top of our heads.
The festival is around the eight city blocks, creating a 500-meter course that square our imposing state capitol building which is pretty much an exert replica of the US Capitol building in Washington DC. The marbled capital edifice seats smack on the Isthmus dividing the city into four cardinal quarters overlooking two of the four lakes within the city – Lake Mendota and Lake Monona.
The Madison Winter Festival according to the primary organizers “is a weekend of winter celebration which was established in 2004 to promote fun and healthy lifestyles during winter by showcasing snow sports, festive recreational activities and opportunities to participate for everyone including individuals with mobility limitations”. The first event was held in January 2005.
True to its billing and as always…the festival did not disappoint. As I left work on Friday evening, the four streets squaring the capitol, Pinckney, Main, Carroll and Mifflin, were cordoned off while snow was being trucked in and paved over the road pavement to form a thick coat of ice for the various races and events. Various sponsors were also not left out in setting up their banners and music stands, just as various beverage vendors were also setting up their stands.
On Saturday proper, you would think you were in Vancouver as all the skiers were donned in their ski suits with their tag numbers firmly in place and boisterous supporters milling around and making the event a great winter celebration. To underscore the importance of this event, some of the participants in the previous year, are actually competing in various events in the Winter Olympics in Vancouver this week. We are further proud that we have University of Wisconsin, Madison students/graduates among the US team, especially in the powerful male and female hockey squads.
Among the popular events in the festivities included Cross country ski racing, Snow shoeing, Snowball Rail Jam, Tubing and Ice and Snow Sculpture. The events were not just for the professional skiers among us but the lanes were open for the public irrespective of their skill level. Folks on wheelchairs were also part of the fun and exercise. The inclusive nature of the gathering is a hallmark of Madison traditions that often bring our community together and create joy even in the midst of what other cities or regions of the country would complain as being frigid, snowy and inclement weather…for us, we get out there an play. As the scheduled festival packed up, some of us headed back to our frozen deep lakes for rounds of ice-fishing and more lake sculpting…I will be sharing that soon.
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