Winterfest returns from hiatus
Winterfest made a triumphant return to Moraine State Park this weekend.
After a two-year hiatus, the Moraine Preservation Fund brought back its wintry outdoors celebration to pleasant results Saturday.
The event went through some attendance difficulties before its hiatus, the fund's vice president Cassandra Dixon explained, but proper winter weather seemed to usher back in good times Saturday. The park's rangers estimated that 1,105 people attended the event.
“We decided to bring it back for the 50th anniversary of the park opening,” Dixon said.
Winterfest wasn't a fundraising event, but rather the Moraine Preservation Fund holds it in hopes of opening locals' eyes to the cold-weather activities possible at Moraine. Vendors and groups put together about 20 stops for visitors to check out at the festival. Those stops highlighted activities such as trail running, ice fishing and cross-country skiing.
Mandy Kendall visited a station where ice fishermen were showing off gear and talking to visitors about the basics of ice fishing.
“The PA Fish and Boat Commission has been hosting a lot of women on the water events here for the last few years,” Kendall said.
She enjoys lots of other types of fishing, and hopes to get into ice fishing. She got a first-hand look at some of the equipment at the event.
This season hasn't brought the sustained cold weather needed to ice fish at Moraine, though, which Kendall said she was surprised to hear has become common in recent years.
Ice aside, Dixon said she was relieved to wake up Saturday to find snow on the ground, as unseasonably warm days were thought to dampen previous years' turnouts.
“I prayed for this snow,” she said.
Dixon wasn't alone in rooting for the white weather.
Michelle Jamieson of Butler openly rejoiced in the precipitation.
“It's the perfect setting,” Jamieson said. “The snow is falling, the roads are clear and it's the perfect temperature.”
2020 brought Jamieson to the Winterfest for the first time, and she said she enjoyed the all-ages fun.
While the event wasn't a fundraiser, organizers put on activities such as a chili cook-off and a 50:50 raffle to recoup their costs.
David Murray, Moraine Preservation Fund president, said four different competitors won each of their four chili judging categories: Susan Walker won best taste, Phil Heasley won spiciest, Gabby Hervert won most unique and Jason Williams won people's choice.
The Moraine Preservation Fund has funded the construction of various improvements to the park over its roughly 25 years of existence. The volunteer group holds events and cleanups throughout the year and is always looking for extra hands.
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