Traverse City: 2nd Annual Cherry Capital Winter Festival

Traverse City 2nd Annual Cherry Capital Winter Festival

Join us this February 15-18 in Traverse City and help us celebrate all that winter has to offer! The 2nd Annual Cherry Capital Winter WonderFest is a four-day event designed to cure the effects of "cabin fever" and provide a variety of family-friendly games and activities, including live outdoor music and fireworks show. Access to all Winter WonderFest activities requires the purchase of a $10 official event button with portion of proceeds from button sales going to Special Olympics of Michigan.

(As of January 23, 2008)

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15 4:00pm-8:00pm "Outdoor Fun Zone" - Family-friendly winter activities include ice skating, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobile rides (until dark), horse-drawn sleigh rides, and bonfires. Present your festival button for access. Location: Grand Traverse Resort & Spa near the Clubhouse.5:30pm-7:30pm "A Magical Taste of Downtown" presented by Grand Traverse Pie Company - Enjoy a variety of cherry-infused foods, with live entertainment from 5:45pm-7:45pm. Tickets for Adults are $15/ea. while Kids 12 & Under are $8/ea. General balcony seating for live entertainment only is $5/ea. Tickets may be purchased by calling the National Cherry Festival Office: 800-968-3380. Location: The City Opera House (Downtown Traverse City)

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16 10:00am-7:00pm "Outdoor Fun Zone" - Family-friendly winter activities include ice skating, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobile rides (until dark), inflatables, and bonfires. Present your festival button for access. Location: Grand Traverse Resort & Spa near the Clubhouse.10:00am-5:00pm Winter Carnival Rides - Yes, it's a true winter carnival! Carnival rides will be on-site for kids and adults to enjoy, including a Ferris Wheel (weather permitting) . Present your festival button for access. Location: Grand Traverse Resort & Spa near the Clubhouse.11:00am-1:00pm Pony Rides - Present your festival button for access. Location: Grand Traverse Resort & Spa near the Clubhouse.12:00pm-5:00pm Live Music in Downtown Traverse City - Enjoy live music in the heart of Downtown Traverse City by the Rythm Kings from Noon to 2:30 and the Gratitude Steel Drum Band from 3 to 5. Ice sculptures will be on display throughout the day. Look for "Sweetheart of a Sale" specials in participating downtown stores and special activities! Location: Downtown Traverse City (Cass Street/Front Street intersection)12:00pm-3:30pm Soup’r Bowl in Downtown Traverse City - A Friendly Soup Competition between Downtown Traverse City area restaurants under the tent at the corner of Cass and Front Streets. The public is invited to taste each and vote for their favorite. Soup’r Bowl Sampler Tickets will be for sale at that location. A five-soup sampler ticket is $3 or all samples for $5.12:00pm-5:00pm Winter Kid's Activities - Kids of nearly all ages can participate in some down-home, friendly competition, including: snowshoe race, cherry pie eating contest, and frozen fish toss. Present your festival button for access.Location: Grand Traverse Resort & Spa near the Clubhouse.1:00pm-2:30pm Mini-Film Festival: "Frozen Stupid" presented by Brauer Productions - Enjoy the amazing work of Traverse City filmmaker Richard Brauer, as Brauer Productions presents this funny tale of a father and son seeking a simple weekend of ice fishing. Starring: Ernest Borgnine and Joey Albright. Present your festival button for access. Location: Grand Traverse Resort & Spa indoors in the Council Room behind Marketplace in the Gallery of Shops.1:00pm-6:00pm Horse-Drawn Sleigh Rides - The quintessential "winter experience!" Go for a real horse-drawn sleigh ride throughout the Grand Traverse Resort grounds and soak in al the beautiful winter scenery. Present your festival button for access. Location: Grand Traverse Resort & Spa near the Clubhouse.2:30pm "Frozen Bed Race" presented by Grand Traverse Area Hotel/Motel Association - See the fastest "beds on sleds" at this fun downtown event. Form a team of 5 and compete for the fun of it. Call 231-631-2044 for complete details. Present your festival button for access. Location: Downtown Traverse City (Cass Street/Front Street intersection)2:00pm-2:30pm "Polar Plunge" presented by Special Olympics Michigan - "Freezin' for a Reason!" Ever wanted to take a plunge into icy waters just to see what it feels like? Now's your shot. Dress up, jump in and help change lives with this unique event. Entry fee is a $50 donation to Special Olympics Michigan. Participants receive admission to the Post Plunge Party and bragging rights for "freezing your fur" for a great cause. Registration begins at 1:00pm with the plunge beginning around 2:00pm. Post Plunge Party will follow immediately at 2:30pm. Present your festival button for access. For more information, or to register, please call 800-644-6404 or visit http://www.somi.org/. Location: Grand Traverse Resort & Spa near the Clubhouse.3:00pm-5:00pm Pony Rides - Present your festival button for access. Location: Grand Traverse Resort & Spa near the Clubhouse.8:00pm-9:30pm Mini-Film Festival: "The Lost Treasure of Sawtooth Island" presented by Brauer Productions - Enjoy the amazing work of Traverse City filmmaker, Richard Brauer, as Brauer Productions presents this adventurous quest for a hidden treasure. Filmed locally on Lake Michigan. Starring: Ernest Borgnine, Seth Bernard, Brennan Hesser. Present your festival button for access. Location: Grand Traverse Resort & Spa indoors in the Council Room behind Marketplace in the Gallery of Shops.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17 9:00am "The Frosty 5K" Race - See how fast you can run on the snow! This 5K run/walk will take participants throughout the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa grounds, offering beautiful winter landscape views. Registration begins at 8:00am at the Clubhouse. Prizes will be awarded. Register by February 1, 2008 and you'll be entered into a drawing to win a one-night stay at Grand Traverse Resort & Spa, including access to our new Indoor Water Playground. Entry requires purchase of $10 festival button (kids 10 and under are free). REGISTER HERE Location: Grand Traverse Resort & Spa near the Clubhouse.10:00am-7:00pm "Outdoor Fun Zone" - Family-friendly winter activities include ice skating, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobile rides (until dark), inflatables, and bonfires. Present your festival button for access. Location: Grand Traverse Resort & Spa near the Clubhouse.10:00am-5:00pm Winter Carnival Rides - Yes, it's a true winter carnival! Carnival rides will be on-site for kids and adults to enjoy, including a Ferris Wheel (weather permitting) . Present your festival button for access. Location: Grand Traverse Resort & Spa near the Clubhouse.10:00am-5:00pm Kid's Petting Zoo - Get up close and personal with a variety of friendly animals. Present your festival button for access. Location: Grand Traverse Resort & Spa near the Clubhouse.11:00am-1:00pm Pony Rides - Present your festival button for access. Location: Grand Traverse Resort & Spa near the Clubhouse.12:00pm-3:00pm "GRAND Chili Cookoff" - Taste a variety of fresh, hot chili dishes prepared by Grand Traverse Resort & Spa and vote for your favorite. $7 fee to sample 6 of our favorite chili recipes. Location: Grand Traverse Resort & Spa near the Clubhouse.12:00pm-5:00pm Winter Kid's Activities - Kids of nearly all ages can participate in some down-home, friendly competition, including: snowshoe race, cherry pie eating contest, and frozen fish toss. Present your festival button for access. Location: Grand Traverse Resort & Spa near the Clubhouse.1:00pm-6:00pm Horse-Drawn Sleigh Rides - The quintessential "winter experience!" Go for a real horse-drawn sleigh ride throughout the Grand Traverse Resort grounds and soak in al the beautiful winter scenery. Present your festival button for access. Location: Grand Traverse Resort & Spa near the Clubhouse.3:00pm-5:00pm Pony Rides - Present your festival button for access. Location: Grand Traverse Resort & Spa near the Clubhouse.7:00pm-8:30pm LOVERBOY Valentine's Concert - You loved their hits in the 80's. Now, see how they're still rocking. Loverboy will perform a live concert inside Governors' Hall at Grand Traverse Resort & Spa. NOTE: Separate tickets are required; Winter WonderFest buttons do not provide access. Tickets are $25, $30 and $35 each and may be purchased by calling 800-968-2327. For information on the Loverboy Valentine's Concert lodging package, click here. Location: Grand Traverse Resort & Spa 8:30pm-9:00pm Fireworks Show - There's nothing quite as spectacular as a fireworks show in the winter snow. Enjoy a professional fireworks show over the golf courses at Grand Traverse Resort & Spa. Present your festival button for access. Location: The Pavilion at Grand Traverse Resort & Spa.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 18 - 8:00am-10:00am Flap Jack Breakfast - Wrap up a weekend of activity with a hearty pancake breakfast. Cash breakfast. Call 800-236-1577 for more information. Location: Grand Traverse Resort & Spa in the Michigan Ballroom.9:00am-12:00pm "Outdoor Fun Zone" - Family-friendly winter activities include ice skating, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, horse-drawn sleigh rides, and bonfires. Present your festival button for access. Location: Grand Traverse Resort & Spa near the Clubhouse.

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