January 22, 2009 Issue
11th Annual Winterfest Takes Over Blowing Rock This Weekend
Festivities Begin Thursday Night
Photo by Todd Bush
From this Thursday to Sunday, January 22 to 25, the 11th Annual Winterfest will again take over the town of Blowing Rock as people are invited to sip hot chocolate, witness expert ice carving, jump in a freezing lake, warm up by the bonfire nightly, sip fine wine, eat chili, buy raffle tickets, show off their pets, enjoy daily hayrides and otherwise revel in the snowy mountain village.
There’s no better way to start a Winterfest weekend than by sampling cuisine from lots of the town’s best restaurants. At Thursday night’s WinterFeast event at Chetola Resort, that’s exactly what you will do. With multiple seatings between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m., diners will have a chance to make their way around the room and test the menus of premier Blowing Rock chefs until they’ve had their fill.
Friday’s schedule will allow festivalgoers to ease into the weekend, offering hayrides around town and free hot chocolate to warm festivalgoers both outside and in. The night will be capped off by Winterfest’s Second Annual Winter Blues Festival at the Hayes Center featuring the talents of North Carolina soul and blues legend Roy Roberts, gritty foothills bluesman Pop Ferguson and event hosts The King Bees. The show starts at 7:30 p.m.
From early in the morning until late in the evening, Saturday is Winterfest’s busiest, most action-packed day. The festival’s craziest participants will receive a brisk wake-up call as the Polar Plunge draws thousands to Chetola Lake to witness the festival’s most popular event.
From there, festivalgoers can warm up at Blowing Rock School by sampling the culinary talents of the High Country’s best chili makers at the annual Chili Cook-Off. Both amateurs and professionals will try to tempt the taste buds of all in attendance starting at 11:00 a.m. at Blowing Rock School. This year’s contest will feature members of Chili Appreciation Society International who compete around the country with their mouth-watering recipes.
For wine lovers looking to expand their palate, Ciao Bello at the Meadowbrook will again host the annual Wine Tasting at 2:00 p.m. followed by a Wine Auction at 4:00 p.m. Find your favorite wines and stick around long enough to take a bottle or two (or three) home.
There will be plenty of action in downtown’s centrally located Memorial Park, including activities for children at the Parks and Recreation Center, a cool ice carving competition and a hot bonfire at dusk.
For acoustic music lovers, the Hayes Performing Arts Center will be the place to be on Saturday night as former New Grass Revival member and MerleFest favorite John Cowan and his band return to deliver another hot night of inspired progressive acoustic and bluegrass music. The show starts at 7:30 p.m.
Round out the wonderful weekend Sunday morning beginning at 8:00 a.m. by enjoying a hearty stack of pancakes at the annual Winterfest Pancake Breakfast at the Blowing Rock School cafeteria. Proceeds will benefit the Blowing Rock Fire and Rescue Department.
A new event at Winterfest will be this year’s Winter Paws Pet Show. The fur-tastic event will take place at the American Legion Hall at 1:00 p.m.
For a look at all that Winterfest has to offer, click to www.blowingrockwinterfest.org or call the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce at 828-295-7851.
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