For immediate release: January 15, 2014

Great Ice in Grand Isle Frozen Fun on Northern Lake Champlain Great Ice in Grand Isle, the 8th annual celebration on the ice in northern Lake Champlain, will be condensed into one event-packed weekend, February 8 and 9, plus a Valentines dance on Valentines Day. The events, most of which are free, are held on City Bay in North Hero and are sponsored by local businesses and open to all. Heros Welcome General Store in North Hero Village plows a 1 K skating oval, as well as a hockey rink and drag strip, and keeps it plowed for as long as the ice holds out. Saturday, February 8, features five events, including free public skating all day with free parking in the Village. 8 to 10 a.m. Nordic Skating on the oval with experts from Marathon Skating International. Anyone interested in Nordic Skating welcome. Equipment and instruction available for newbies. 10 12:30 p.m. Kids Fishing Derby on City Bay. Includes a hot lunch, prizes and guidance. Parents welcome. For kids 14 and under. 1 to 3 p.m. Dog sled rides with Ingrid Bower and her Siberian huskies. At Shore Acres on Route 2 in the Village. $10 adults, $6 per child. 1:30 to 3 p.m. Frozen-Chozen Regatta on the oval. Multi-wheel rigs only. Race for prizes! $20 registration fee, one per vehicle, for multiple riders. www.heroswelcome.com for Regatta Rules. Warm public buildings and hot food will be available at Heros Welcome (802 -372-4161), Harborside Market (802-372-4443) and A&B Beverage (802-372-4531), all on Route 2. Sunday, February 9, begins with a Flapjack Breakfast from 8 to 9:30 at Heros Welcome. Homemade pancakes and a full Vermont breakfast will be available, $7 per person. Call 802372-4161 for details. Then the ice-based events begin. 9 to 11 a.m. Nordic Skaters on the oval. More free instruction, and races. 10 to 11 a.m. Drag race skaters on the City Bay Drag Strip. Straightaway speed skating for fun and prizes. Four classes: kids, youth, adults and silver flyers. 12 noon Christmas tree bonfire and chili cook-off on City Bay. Clean trees may be brought to Heros Welcome. Vote on your favorite chili! $3 buys a cup to taste them all! 1:30 to 3 p.m. Pickup Hockey, with informal teams of all ages. 2 to 3:30 p.m. Ice bike racing. Race for fun and prizes. Studded bike tires required. Free public skating will be held all day, and the hot food will be available at Heros Welcome, Harborside Market and A&B Beverage.

Sponsors for Great Ice in Grand Isle include the Town of North Hero, A&B Beverage, Bauer Gravel Farnham, DC Energy Innovations, Earls Cyclery, N.A. Durso Woodworking, Heros Welcome, The Islander, Julow Computing, Local Motion, North Hero House, Charlie and Jan Peterson, Reinhart Food Services, Shore Acres, Stewart Construction and the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce. Friday, February 14, 7:30 p.m. Sweetheart Boogie Valentines Dance, North Hero Community Hall. Dance to rock n roll, swing and country music under a full moon. Cash Bar courtesy of North Hero House. Tickets $15 at the door. Great Ice in Grand Isle is run entirely by volunteers. Proceeds go to local non-profit organizations. Call Heros Welcome at (802) 372-4161 each day to see if the weather has caused any changes in the schedule. Information is also available at the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce, www.vermont.org or (802) 372-8400.