Celebrate Snow, Ice, & Cabin Fever
at Bayfield's Winter Festival
March 2nd - 4th, 2012

Release your cabin fever at this family fun event and support local recreational organizations like the Bayfield Area Recreation Center and Mt. Ashwabay Ski and Recreation Area at the same time. Young and old can participate in this weekend-long celebration, with a range of activities for every member of the family.

Start your planning with a visit to our Lodging Availability system: book a cozy cabin for the whole family, a romantic room at a local Bed & Breakfast, or a comfortable hotel suite ~ Bayfield has lodging to suit everyone's needs.

Friday, March 2nd
• 4:00pm to 7:00pm - First Friday in Bayfield! - Don't miss the March First Friday throughout Bayfield! 16 Bayfield shops and restaurants will be open late, offering unique retail sales, door prizes, demonstrations, and scrumptious food specials at participating eateries to compliment the retail deals. Take this opportunity to experience Bayfield's fine dining and browse local art galleries, book stores, gift & specialty shops when you arrive in town.
• 5:00pm - Freeze Your Glass Off Deck Party at the Bayfield Inn - Begin the festival weekend with fantastic views of frozen Lake Superior during the Freeze Your Glass Off Deck Party at the Bayfield Inn, starting at 5:00pm. Hot drinks, winter games and prizes, fire pits for s'mores, and hot soups will keep you warm!
• 6:30pm - Candlelight Walk on the Brownstone Trail - Join the Bayfield Regional Conservancy at Big Water Caf� & Coffee Roasters at 6:30pm for hot drinks and treats. Around 7:00pm, the group will head over to the Brownstone Trail for a magical walk amongst hundreds of luminary’s set along the popular hiking trail.

Saturday, March 3rd
• 11:15am - Run on Water - The 19th Annual Run on Water is a family fun event open to people of all ages and skill levels. Participants can choose to run, walk, ski, snowshoe, bike, skate or even skijor the 4.5-mile course on the famous "ice road" across frozen Lake Superior from Bayfield to Madeline Island and back. Get registration information at www.bayfieldwinterfestival.com. If ice conditions do not permit, the event will be a "Run by the Water" on Bayfield's Brownstone Trail, and maintain a distance of 4 miles.
• 3:00pm - Polar Bear Plunge - Watch brave volunteers parade then jump into frigid Lake Superior through a hole in the ice to raise money for the Bayfield Area Recreation Center. Judge the plunges and the costumes. Better yet, do it yourself! Plunging and pledging information, in addition to event updates, is available at www.bayfieldwinterfestival.com.
• 7:00pm to 11:00pm - Mt. Ashwabay WinterBASH - Finish the day in style at Mt. Ashwabay's WinterBASH! Warm up by the giant bonfire, enjoy South Shore Beer, food, and live music including The Ringtones and Alpha City with sound by JD BASS inside a heated pole barn. There will also be a 50/50 raffle, tubing, horse drawn sleigh rides, and a cross-country ski amid the sparkle of hundreds of candles illuminating the darkened woods at Mt Ashwabay! $5 suggested donation/person at the gate. Visit www.mtashwabay.org for additional ski hill information.
  

Sunday, March 4th

• 10:00am to 4:30pm - Skiing at Mt. Ashwabay Recreation Area - Downhill or cross country ski at our great community ski hill. 11 ski runs with chairlift, groomed cross-country trails, freestyle terrain park, and equipment rental available.
• 1:30pm - Mt. Ashwabay WinterDASH - New event! Test your endurance during Mt. Ashwabay's WinterDASH starting at 1:30pm. This "ultimate winter 5km run and obstacle course" will require no gear - just guts! Go to www.bayfieldwinterfestival.com to register.