The 60th Annual Iola Winter Carnival (IWC) will be held Feb. 4-6. The only events cancelled are the Norwegian Lutefisk Supper and the Iola-Scandinavia Chamber of Commerce Indoor Craft Show.
Activities begin at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 4, with the 6th Annual Snow Bully Fat Bike Race at the Iola Winter Sports Club, located five miles northwest of Iola on County Road MM. For more information on this event, call Scott Cole at 715-340-3683.
The Ice Sculpting Contest begins at 8 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 5, at Chet Krause Legacy Park next to Shivers Ice Cream Shop. Judging will be at noon. To sign up to carve or to sponsor an ice block, call IWC Chair Mike Mazemke at 715-445-4024.
Registration for the Free Children’s Ice Fishing Contest on Lake Iola begins at 9:30 a.m. The contest runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. followed by prizes, awards, and free hot dogs. This event is for children ages 17 and younger. It is sponsored by the Lake Iola Lake District. Lake access is provided at Olson Park off County Road J.
Prizes for the ice fishing contest include a fully guided day trip on the Lake Winnebago system, plus the first-place winner is eligible to win $200.00 taxidermy from Mae’s of Stevens Point.
Other events on Saturday include Skijoring at 1 p.m., crowning of the Queen of Snows at 3 p.m. and the Iola Twilight Snowshoe Race at 6 p.m. These three events will be at the Iola Winter Sports Club. For information on Skijoring, call Jerry Thompson at 715-824-204. For the Snowshoe Race, call Jeff Crumbaugh.
The Central Ski Jumping Championships will begin at noon on Sunday, Feb. 6, at the Iola Winter Sports Club. An awards ceremony will follow the competition. Admission is a $5 spectator button. Food and refreshments will be available.
The Iola Winter Sports Club is Central Wisconsin’s finest ski jumping facility with the newest 60-meter jump in the state. Cross country and snowshoeing trails will be open the entire weekend. For more information, visit www.IolaWinterSportsClub.org or call 715-445-3411.
The 2022 Iola Winter Carnival Court includes Cameron Harbridge, Morgan Anderson, Ella Gullixon, Lydia Johnsrud, and Tara Thompson.
Iola Winter Carnival raffle tickets are on sale for $5 each or three for $10. First prize is $500, second prize is $250, third prize is a $250 shopping spree at Iola Sentry Foods, fourth through seventh prizes are $100, plus other donated prizes from area businesses. Raffle drawing will be held Sunday, Feb. 6, at the Iola Winter Sports Club. Winners need not be present to win.
Proceeds from the raffle benefit the Iola Lions Club, American Legion Post 14, and the Iola Winter Sports Club. Raffle tickets are available at several local businesses and from club members.
The Iola Winter Carnival is put on by area organizations including Iola Lions, American Legion Post 14, Iola-Scandinavia School District, Iola Winter Sports Club, Iola-Scandinavia Chamber of Commerce, and Tracey Ambacher, Jr., in conjunction with the Iola Lake District
For more information, follow the Iola Winter Carnival on Facebook.
