The Year of the Pandemic and Cold Weather Announcements;
September 22nd, 2020 thru March 2nd, 2021
** Newsletter: Tuesday, September 22nd 2020 **
--Chuck Zwilling informed Little Falls Radio Sunday of his gratitude and thanks to all who helped make the ICE Fest 2020 a success back in February. They fundraiser raised over $15,000 (and counting) for Flyer Pride Pack and the Care Closet at the local schools. They again broke the world record for the large ice carousel at 749 feet across the Green Prairie Fish Lake weighing around 19,000 tons. It spun in rotation for over 24 hours. Zwilling stated Monday on Little Falls Radio that he will be doing the ice carousel part of the event on the lake again next February and is hopeful that Ice Fest 2021 can happen. They have to wait like others with the restrictions and see what it looks like next year with the events around the Ice Fest 2021.Fallsradio.com - September 22nd, 2020- Full Story
** Newsletter: Wednesday, December 2nd 2020 **
--Chuck Zwilling gave an update on 4th Annual Sunny Zwilling Memorial ICE Fest 2021 scheduled for February 13th and 14th on Green Prairie-Fish Lake north of Little Falls. Zwilling said that if the Governor's restrictions on large gatherings remain in place that they would have to go to a virtual event with drones, Facebook Live and video showing around the lake to show the work on the ice carousel as they try and break (for now) their own world record from last year (Quebec may still try it before event, but Chuck was unclear on that). All the proceeds raised go to Flyer Pride Pack (back pack food programs for the Little Falls Community School District) and the Care Closet at the High School for those in need of items and food. In the previous 3 years the event has raised around $36,000 for those two groups.If they can't gather for the event than all the monies go to the two groups as less money would be needed for the event (food, concessions, outdoor activites and other miscellaneous items). Zwilling is still looking for a paramedic, EMT or First Responders to help for a few hours. Any volunteers to donate their time with the event on February 13th and 14th or if you have questions go to MnIceFest.com or you contact Chuck Zwilling at 320-249-1504.
Fallsradio.com - December 2nd, 2020- Full Story
Newsletter: Wednesday, January 27th, 2021
--Chuck Zwilling announced Tuesday on KLTF that the Sunny Zwilling Memorial Ice Extravaganza on Green Prairie Fish Lake is on for February 13th and 14th. They will be following state and county protocols for safety measures and members from public health and the sheriff's office will be on hand that weekend. The ice is at 12-14 inches of thickness and that is enough to have some events planned for the weekend including Striders bikes in the snow, curling events, figure skating, speed skaters, building an igloo, log rolling competition, snowshoeing, fishing, paragliding if weather cooperates, dogsledding and much more. Zwilling said the attempt for the world record ice carousel which they currently hold they will try and break again and cones are already being put up on the lake to mark the spots. Zwilling said recently they have been added to the Guiness Book of World Records as an actual item (in prior years that is was not a recognized event) and now they have made it a category. The event will have parking restrictions and hand sanitizing and other safety items that week to keep all safe but they are still planning for a fun filled two day event this year. Proceeds and donations can be made to help the Flyer Pride Backpack Program and the Kare Kloset at the community high school to help those with items, in the past two years they have raised around $36,000 for the projects. For more information and if you can volunteer has they are need of those please contact Chuck through the facebook of mnicefest.com.
Fallsradio.com - January 27th, 2021- Full Story
Newsletter: Wednesday, February 10th 2021
--Chuck Zwilling of Ice Fest the Sunny Zwilling Ice Carousel Extravagana was on KLTF Tuesday and said the event is a go even with the cold weather this weekend so bundle up and come on out. The event is 10am-6pm both days on Green Prairie Fish Lake, park in the beach area there will be enough parking. Numerous events from log rolling, fishing, snowshoeing from Kinship, underwater dones, some refreshments and many other items to view and take in. Zwilling said if you want to watch the spinning of the ice carousel as they break the world record best time would be around noon to 2pm Saturday as some times they get it rotation for hours and sometimes not so much takes place as Mother Nature decides on when it stops. Also a free will donation to help Flyer Pride Backpack Program and the Care Closet at Little Falls Community schools will be given in the past years around $36,000 as been raised by Ice Fest. If you need more information or can volunteer some time even one hour Thursday through Sunday to set up, take down and help in other areas go to mnicefest.com and all the details are on there. Zwilling wanted to thank all the sponsors helping out with this as the numbers keep growing, they will be following safety protocols by public health and the sheriff's office and there will be a warming tent for those who need to warm up a bit with temps expected to be well below zero throughout the entire event this weekend.
Fallsradio.com - February 10th, 2021- Full Story
Newsletter: Monday, February 15th 2021
--Thank you to all who came out for the Ice Fest event this past weekend at Green Prairie/Fish Lake. Organizers will send out information on how much money was raised for the Flyer Pride Backpack Program and Care Closet in the coming weeks. Pictures of the event can be seen at mnicefest.com and again thanks to the many who braved the cold to come outside this weekend.
Fallsradio.com - February 15th, 2021- Full Story
Newsletter: Tuesday, March 2nd 2021
--Chuck Zwilling and his daughter Becca announced on Monday that they have given at check for $18,000 to Little Falls Community Schools for their Flyer Pride Backpack Program and Care Kloset to help feed the hungry children and clothed those in need during the school year. This was the largest one year total for Ice Fest which was held Valentine's weekend earlier this month on Green Prairie Fish Lake. With the $18.000 they have now in 4 years given over $54,000 to the school to help those projects and they wanted to personally thank all the volunteers, organizations that showed up including log rolling, dog sledding, Santa Claus, plane rides and other items from the lake. Temperatures were very cold both days where Sunday did not ever get above zero but that did not keep the people from coming out taking in the events and using the warming tents a lot. Unfortunately the one thing that could not be achieved was the breaking of the ice carousel record which the Zwilling family had held from the year before and got put in Guiness Book of World Records for it. The carousel was cut but the very cold conditions caused it to refreeze each night and they had to start again each morning and they could not get the ice to rotate around one full rotation which was needed for them to qualify for the world record.Chuck stated the group of Finland this week is working on breaking the world record and if successful would given the Zwilling family more reason to try and make it a bigger success in 2022.
Becca said that if you would still like to donate to the icefest cause go to the mnicefest.com website to see pictures and find out how to donate. They are looking forward to the next one in February of 2022.