HIGGINS LAKE/ROSCOMMON WINTERFEST BADGE WINNER Jessica Hollister, 10, a fifth grader at Roscommon Middle School was announced as the winning designer of the 2012 Higgins Lake/Roscommon Winter- Fest badge design contest. As winner of the contest, Hollister won a $50 gift card from the Higgins Lake/ Roscommon Chamber of Commerce. (Courtesy photo) A weekend of winter fun will kick off this Friday for the 2012 Higgins Lake/Roscommon WinterFest. The winter activities will continue to Saturday at several locations in the Higgins Lake/Roscommon area.

Friday

Ice skaing will be held all day on both Friday and Saturday at the Gerrish Township Park Marina at 103 Mill Road.

Fred’s of Roscommon in downtown Roscommon will host live music and happy hour prices from 5 to 11 p.m. There will also be a special on bowling, $1 for shoes and $2 a game. Beginning at 6 p.m. the Timber’s Bar & Restaurant on Co. Rd. 100 at the Cut River Bridge will host the band Exit 239 and have dinner specials.

KID’S KARNIVAL During last year’s WinterFest Neil Sauter of Luzerne walked on stilts and made balloon animals for children who attended the Kid’s Karnival at North Higgins Lake State Park. This year’s Kid’s Karnival will take place at the park from 12 to 3 p.m. on Saturday. (Resorter file photo) More recreational opportunities will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Cross County Ski Headquarters. Ski rentals will be $6 for those who show their WinterFest badge. There will be x-country night skiing, snowshoeing, a campfire and smores and entertainment.

Saturday

WinterFest events will kick off with a pancake breakfast from 8 to10 a.m. at the Timber’s Restaurant.

From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. the Higgins Lake fishing derby will be held at the North Higgins Lake State Park. Prizes including gift cards and other items will be given to the winners.

A CHILLY RIDE Like last year, the Roscommon County Sheriff’s Department will be at WinterFest providing air boat rides on Saturday. (Resorter file photo) The snowmobile radar run will be held at the North Higgins Lake State Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There is a $10 registration fee.

Also from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the vintage snowmobile and ORV show and air boat rides will be taking place at the Gerrish Township Park Marina.

The Crazy Cardboard Classic Downhill Sled Run will take place at Pioneer Hill from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The annual Chili Cookoff will be held at the Ralph A. MacMullan Center from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. This year’s participants include the Ralph A. MacMullen Center, which has won the past two years, Angels of Roscommon, Fred’s of Roscommon, The Tin Fish, Silver Dollar Bar, the Timber’s Restaurant, Landmark Restaurant and newcomers, Hen House Restaurant of St. Helen.

CRAZY CARDBOARD SLEDS This year’s Crazy Cardboard Classic Downhill Sled Run will take place at Pioneer Hill at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday. Those who are participating in the event are only allowed to use cardboard, duct tape and glue to hold their homemade sleds together. Higgins Lake/Roscommon Chamber of Commerce Director Connie Allen said the race is the event to watch as it usually draws the biggest crowd. Also at 11 a.m. the Broomball competition will begin at the North Higgins Lake State Park. Jim’s Collision will be defending its title against the Silver Dollar Restaurant, the Higgins Lake Boat Club, Gerrish Township, the Roscommon Rotary Club and the Roscommon County Sheriff’s Department.

THIRD STRAIGHT WIN? (Right) Mike Ryan (faceing, right) of the Ralph A. MacMullan Center is the two-time defending champion of the annual WinterFest Chili Cook-off. His winning recipe featured a spicy blend of ingredients with “a lot of love in it.” Other winners last year included Fred’s of Roscommon taking second place and Angels of Roscommon taking third place. This year’s cook off will be held at the RAM Center from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Entries include the RAM Center, Angels of Roscommon, Fred’s of Roscommon, Tin Fish, Silver Dollar Bar, Timber’s Restaurant, Landmark Restaurant and newcomers, Hen House Restaurant of St. Helen. Chamber Director Connie Allen said the Hen House won chili cook-offs in St. Helen in the past and will offer some competition to the other competitors. Then from 12 to 3 p.m. the Kid’s Karnival games and prizes, as well as horse drawn wagon rides, snowmen contests, an ice slide and hot dogs will all be held at the North Higgins Lake State Park.

Jim ’s COLLISION DEFENDING BROOMBALL CHAMPS Jim’s Collision was the winner of the 2011 WinterFest broomball competition. This year’s tournament will take place Saturday at the North Higgins Lake State Park at 11 a.m. The Afterglow Awards are scheduled to take place at the the Silver Dollar Bar & Restaurant at 4 p.m. The bar is located at 9925 West Higgins Lake Dr.

WinterFest badges can be purchased for $5 and will grant admission to all events, however, children under five are free. Badges can be purchased at the Higgins Lake-Roscommon Chamber of Commerce and several area businesses.

There will also be a WinterFest Raffle with a top prize of $1,000. Second place will receive $500 and third prize is worth $250. Tickets can also be purchased at the chamber.

For information on WinterFest contact the Higgins Lake-Roscommon Chamber of Commerce at 275-8760.