Oakland Winter Fest is held the Saturday of President’s Day weekend each year. It is a great way to celebrate the season with friends and family. You can stroll through the historic downtown as you enjoy delicious food and fun activities. For the second year, you can buy a $15 ticket for the Wine Walk. You can taste approximately 12 different wines, which will be available at a number of locations throughout the town.
WATCH MASTER ICE CARVER BILL SANDUSKY CREATE BEAUTIFUL SCULPTURES. Each year, Bill travels from Erie, PA to create more than 30 unique ice carvings that decorate the sidewalks. You can watch his demonstrations or check out one of the interactive sculptures.
TAKE A HORSE DRAWN SLEIGH RIDE. Take a free sleigh ride through the streets of this picturesque small town. It is a classic winter experience that you will always remember.
OAKLAND — Oakland’s annual Winter Fest will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. this Friday and Saturday, Feb. 17 and 18, featuring expert ice sculptor Bill Sandusky.
With his ice carving company, Erie Ice Works, Sandusky has been a member of the National Ice Carvers’ Association since 1999. He worked in Western Pennsylvania for 18 years, lived in Colorado for a time, and has returned to Erie, Pa.
Due to the high temperatures we are to have the original weekend of Feb 18 – 19, Winter Fest (sculptures and vendors/crafters) have been rescheduled for February 25 & 26.
Join us in downtown Oakland for Winter Fest 2017! Master Carver Bill Sandusky will be joining us when we line the streets with over 30 ice sculptures and witness some of them LIVE! In addition, we will have a Indoor Market Place for food and craft vendors at 221 S. Third Street.There will be a book signing with David Craig-”Greetings from Gettysburg”.Held at Oakland B&O Museum. It is a history of the battlefield being created as a national park. Saturday from 10am-4pm.There will be sleigh rides, great shopping and dining specials too!
UPDATE-
So everyone…here is the deal. Temperatures Saturday are to be in the 60’s. We are keeping everything on Saturday including the book signing, crafters, carriage rides, etc. The Deep Creek Dunk is also Saturday.
Sunday the temperatures are to be in the mid thirties with snow! The sculptures will not go out until Sunday morning. The live carvings will also be done on Sunday. This way the carvings will last at least 24 hours and the live carvings can still be done. If we put them out on Saturday, they would only last a couple of hours and we could not do the live carvings.
This is the schedule no matter what happens weather wise! I honestly believe this is the best option in such a difficult situation. I encourage all businesses to be open on Sunday as I feel we will still get numerous visitors.
Please spread the word as much as possible. Thank you all or your patience and understanding.
Bill Sandusky of the Frozen Assets Ice Carving Company is indeed back and in action in the town of Oakland, where the 6th annual Winter Fest will be held this weekend, Feb. 15-17. The annual progressive dinner will take place tomorrow night, with participants taken by sleigh to a number of stops for a complete meal. (Reservations are required and can be made by calling 301-334-3352.) New this year will be the Kick-Off Reception at the Oakland fire hall, located along Third Street, on Friday, 6 to 10 p.m. There will be food, drinks, and music by local band The Reign. (Persons must be 21 in order to enter this event.) The cost is $15 per person or $25 per couple, with proceeds benefiting the Oakland Volunteer Fire Department.
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The festival will begin on Saturday at 10 a.m., with events and activities slated throughout the day until 6 p.m. Sandusky and his crew will be in several locations throughout town carving sculptures, which will be displayed and lit for as long as they remain frozen. There will be a wine tasting and live music by the Brothers Short, plus bowling with frozen cantaloupes on a bowling alley made of ice. The crowning of the Snow Flake Toddler Prince and Princess will be held on Saturday, with voting to take place inside Marvin’s. Persons may go into the store for voting instructions. Horse-drawn sleigh rides through town will available, and a snowman-building contest will be held in front of the Oakland Train Station. Weather permitting, snowmobile drag races hosted by High Mountain On-Off Road will take place at Winter’s Dairy field, just outside the town limits along Dennett Road, at 11 a.m. The cost will be $15 per class to race, and free to spectators. Registration will be held from 9 to 10:30 a.m. in the Oakland Community Center (armory). Crafts vendors will be at the Oakland fire hall and at the Knights of Pythias Building along Third Street. The Oakland Transportation, Oakland B&O Station, and the Garrett County Historical Society museums will all be open throughout the weekend. For more event information, persons may go to www.agreatsmalltown.com/winter-fest, or contact Jim Johnson at 301-616-4008 or the Oakland Town Hall at 301-334-2691.
