Chilly Fest organizers want people to come downtown

Downtown Port Huron business owners first got together in 1993 to thumb their noses at the Military Street Bridge closure with a winter festival.

Business owners at that time got the idea for a festival to generate foot traffic downtown during the winter months when business is slowest, Main Street program manager Kristi Hazard said.

This year, the bridge is closed for a three-month maintenance and construction project, not as long as the 12-month project that closed the bridge in 1993.

The Port Huron Chilly Fest committee has been planning since August for this year's two-day event that starts at noon Friday and runs through 11 p.m. Saturday. It will run in conjunction with the International Silver Stick hockey tournament at McMorran Arenas. Silver Stick admission is free Friday and Saturday.

Most of Chilly Fest this year will cater to children and families. There are more children's crafts this year than last, and the theme will be Disney's "Frozen."

Hazard said the committee paid $400 to Disney for the rights to feature the movie's characters in ice carvings and decorations. A sing-along version of the movie will be playing 3-5 p.m. Saturday at McMorran Auditorium. Admission is free. Children who come dressed as one of the Frozen characters will be entered to win prizes.

The Chilly Fest Kids' Zone will be indoors Saturday at McMorran with games, face painting and nail art, a magic show, a Professional Karate School of America demonstration and dance performance by the Dance Academy in Port Huron.

Three evening concerts for adults will be 6-11 p.m. Saturday at McMorran Theatre. Child care for children ages 3 to 13 will be available at Huron Physical Arts Center, 1006 Military St.

Owner Laurie Charron said Main Street contacted her about being host to a special Kids' Night Out event for Chilly Fest. The cost for the event is $15 for the first child and $10 for additional siblings. The price includes dinner, games and a movie.

"We're just around the corner from all the activities at Chilly Fest, so it makes it very convenient," Charron said.

Hazard said part of the reason for moving some of the festival indoors is due to the bridge closure. Construction and repair work to the bridge started Jan. 15. Pedestrian and car traffic will be detoured to the Seventh Street Bridge.

Much of the festival still will be outdoors. Live ice sculpting demonstrations will be outside McMorran on Friday and Saturday.

A chili cook-off competition among eight downtown restaurants is 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday in a tented area outside McMorran. Two-ounce chili samples are 50 cents and an 8-ounce bowl is $4. Judging is at noon.

Tony's Food Paradise will be offering specials for Chilly Fest and Silver Stick crowds, including a white chicken chili. The chili recipe is not entered in the competition this year.

Jeannie Pozios, wife of the owner of Mama Vicki's Coney Island downtown, said her husband will be entering a 92-year-old family chili recipe in the contest again this year.

"I've been with him for 35 years and he finally trusts me enough to give it to me," Pozios said.

The festival and weekend activities will take place on both sides of the bridge.

Gold Rodent and Exquisite Corpse Coffeehouse, 410 Water St., and The Vault Sweet Shoppe, 902 Military St., will be host to the Desmond District's Fourth Friday monthly event featuring live music and $1 crisped rice treats. The Vault will have extended hours from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday for Chilly Fest. Exquisite Corpse and East Lake Builders are sponsoring a five-person team for the Chilly Fest's Young Professionals' Bed Races.

Weekends gift shop, 406 Water St., will be offering free 2-ounce samples of its cherry peach pumpkin chili in keeping with the festival's chili cook-off theme. Weekends is not competing in the cook-off.

The Raven Coffeehouse and Café, 932 Military St., will be setting out a free make-it-yourself cocoa bar with marshmallows and whipping cream for the festival's Cocoa Crawl. The Raven also will have an ice bust of Edgar Allan Poe in front of the business.

The Raven is among 47 businesses sponsoring ice sculptures this year, up from 44 last year, Hazard said.

Military Street Music Café, 1102 Military St., will have live entertainment 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday. The café also will serve the chili that won the people's choice award and the judge's choice for best chili at last year's Chilly Fest.

The Atrium Café, 1519 Military St., also will be open during the festival.

Businesses on both sides of the bridge will be taking part in the Penguin Hunt, in which 12 six-inch penguins will be hidden throughout downtown businesses.

On Saturday, Bob Seger tribute band, the Lookin' Back Band, will perform from 9-11 p.m. in the McMorran Auditorium.

Byron Cancelmo, the 2014 winner of Toby Keith's national competition to benefit Beaumont Children's Hospital, will be fronting the six-piece band for its 100th performance.

"I found the guys," band director Todd Stoney said. "When you get that chemistry right, things can happen because the music becomes fun. People in Port Huron are going to get the best of Lookin' Back. I can't tell you how excited we are."

Area businesses are hoping the festival will bring shoppers into their stores.

Mosher's Jewelers is offering specials on Pandora brand jewelry.

"It's a great time to get a jump on your Valentine's shopping," owner Emily Mosher Wallace said. Mosher's will be open until 7 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday during Chilly Fest. The store is taking part in the Cocoa Crawl and the Penguin Hunt, and is sponsoring an ice sculpture.

Everything Classic Antiques saleswoman Sherrie Demeniuk said some shoppers enjoy haggling over prices as much as making a purchase.

"I wheel and deal all the time," she said. The store, 315 Huron Ave., has three floors of vintage furniture and lighting, oil paintings and home décor.

"Everybody's concerned about the bridge being out," Demeniuk said. "But we're still open and we're ready."

Store hours for Everything Classic Antiques during the Chilly Fest are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Contact Syeda Ferguson at (810) 989-6276 or email her at syeda@thetimesherald.com. Follow her on Twitter @shossainfe.

IF YOU GO

PORT HURON CHILLY FEST

FRIDAY

•Silver Stick Hockey Tournament, McMorran Place, free admission

•Michigan Ice Carvers ice sculpting demonstrations, noon, McMorran Place

•Knowlton Ice Museum, 5-7 p.m. half-price admission. Free hot chocolate and children's craft

•Penguin Hunt, 5-7 p.m., downtown businesses

•Marshmallow roasting, all day, McMorran Place

•Cocoa Crawl, 5-7 p.m., downtown businesses. Free hot chocolate samples.

SATURDAY

•Michigan Ice Carvers ice sculpting demonstrations,McMorran Place

•Knowlton Ice Museum, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. half-price admission. Free hot chocolate and children's craft

•Chili cook-off, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., tasting and voting. McMorran Place

•Horse and Trolley Rides, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., pickup at Grand River and Huron Ave.

•Project Kid's Sight, noon to 2 p.m., vision screening provided by the Lion's Club, 219 Huron Ave.

•Snow-Dog Parade, 2 p.m., Superior Mall. Dress your dog like a snowperson.

•Blue Water Young Professional's Bed Races, 3-4 p.m., Superior Mall.

•Kids Night Out, 6-11 p.m. Huron Physical Arts Center, 1006 Military St. Dinner, games, movie, fun in the foam pit; $15 for one child and $10 for each additional sibling.

•Marshmallow roasting, all day, McMorran Place

•ChillyFest KIDS ZONE, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., McMorran Memorial Room. Video games, nail art, face painting, DJ music, snow-ball toss, penguin race game, kid's table, crafts

McMorran Theater/Entertainment

•11 a.m. Jasen's Magic Show

•12:15 p.m. Earth Angels Kids Group music and dance

•1:30 p.m. PKSA Karate Show/Demonstration

•2 p.m. Dance Academy Performance

•3-5 p.m. "Frozen" movie showing, sing-a-long edition. McMorran Auditorium. Free.

Adult Concerts McMorran Theatre

•6-7 p.m. The Poltroons

•7:30-8:30 p.m. Ian Smith & Co.

•9-11 p.m. Lookin' Back Band, 100th performance celebration

For more information, visit www.chillyfest.com or call (810) 937-5049