Frosty Fest
Frosty Fest
#GetOutside and play! Greater Olean Area Chamber plans NEW winter event
OLEAN - With the holidays long gone and spring still far away, February can feel like a bleak month. However, a new event in Olean promises to infuse some fun into the beginning of the month. The first Frosty Fest, set for Saturday, February 5th in War Veterans Park, will feature loads of activities for all ages - from snow bocce, curling, the city’s largest pancake breakfast to snow disc golf, snow cornhole and even a squirrel plunge.
GOACC staff asked for events to be held in the area and organized by the Chamber via a survey late Spring 2021. “Although we received over 50 unique events, the events committee at the Chamber decided on an event to be held the first quarter of the new year,” stated Erica Dreher, GOACC Member Services Manager.
Similar to the Jingle Bell Jubilee, the Frosty Fest was suggested to GOACC via a member of the community – Maureen Young with Catt-Allegany BOCES. “She attended our events meeting in September 2021 and suggested something in January or February because many people get depressed after the lights and happiness of the Christmas and Hannukah seasons,” reported Meme K. Yanetsko, GOACC COO. One obvious fact would be to have the event outside.
“Coming from the meeting, the Chamber staff brainstormed and came up with all these activities that would be great in the snow in February but wasn’t dependent on it, if the forecast didn’t give us snow,” added Yanetsko.
Come to the fest and play 9 holes of snow disc golf! Courtesy of the Twin Tiers Disc Golf Association and GOACC, snow disc golf is coming to War Veterans Park. This event includes a flying disc in which players throw at a target (rules similar to golf). One big reminder for the snow disc golf: pay extra attention to where your disc lands. There are two options for golf: single player – the $10 fee will give you a round of 9 holes of disc golf (equipment will be provided or bring your own) and a bowl of chili; family foursome – the $30 fee will get four people the 9 holes of disc golf and each a bowl of chili.
There is also cornhole! Courtesy of Intandem and GOACC, cornhole is coming to War Veterans Park. This event is a lawn game in which players take turns throwing fabric bean bags at a raised platform (board) with a hole in the far end – but out in the elements in Western New York. The fee for a team of 2 is $40 and they will each receive a bowl of chili and two beer tokens (21 years and older). The cornhole tourney is a single elimination format with best of 3 games and max of 32 teams.
Snow bocce is also coming to War Veterans Park this winter courtesy of Howard Hanna Professionals and GOACC. Rules of bocce are the same in winter except there may be snow on the ground! A team of 2 can compete in this single elimination tourney for a fee of $40. The team will also enjoy a cup of chili and two beer tokens.
There is also the cornhole/bocce combo. The team of 2 can compete in both the cornhole and bocce tourneys for a total of $65/pair - a savings of $15. The team will receive a bowl of chili and also receive three beer tokens.
LET IT SNOW, LET IS SNOW, LET IT SNOW! Did you know that snowshoeing was invented in North America over 3,000 years ago? This special footwear allowed people to explore areas that were previously unreachable. Although snowshoe styles have evolved greatly over the years, the concept of moving about nature in the winter remains unchanged. If you have always wanted to give snowshoeing a try, here is your opportunity! Pfeiffer Nature Center will have several sets of adult and child sized shoes available for an outdoor explore at Frosty Fest. The snowshoes can be used free of charge (10:30am-2:30pm) for a walkabout at the park and will be loaned out on a continual “as available” basis. So come and shake those winter blues by having fun in snowshoes!
Refreshments will also be served up. Event officials are calling it the City’s Largest Pancake Breakfast held during Frosty Fest. “Winter? … You think of warm fluffy pancakes and a hot bowl of chili – both will be served up at the fest,” reported Yanetsko. “Although Guiness judges won’t be coming to town, we are reaching for a goal of 300 pancake meals served up at the fest – making it the city’s Largest Pancake Breakfast,” she added. Pancake meals are $8 for adults (3 pancakes, 2 sausage links) and $4 for children (2 pancakes and 1 sausage link). The pancakes will be flipped inside the stadium’s tunnel and ample seating will be there as well. GOACC noted that the park’s pavilion is not able to be used by renters as it has city storage inside.
GOACC is also working with Big Bossman Catering to be the onsite food truck for all attendees. Big Bossman will be serving up their chili in addition to all their barbeque deliciousness.
Oh, and we cannot forget about the curling and squirrel plunge! The Frosty Fest will have curling! Play out your Winter Olympic fantasies on these high-density plastic rinks with all the bells and whistles. Teams compete by alternating turns sliding “rocks” down the straightaway, accumulating points with respect to the distance from the target at the end - the “house.” You’ll need accuracy and a little bit of strategy to come out on top. A team of 2 can compete in this double elimination tourney for a fee of $50. The team will also enjoy pancakes, cup of chili and two beer tokens. There is a limit of 12 teams, so sign up early.
Okay, so Holiday Valley has the Penguin Paddle where contestants flop on their bellies in a garbage bag and slide down one of their hills. Well, Olean’s Frosty Fest features the Squirrel Plunge! Do you have what it takes to be KING SQUIRREL OF THE HILL?
“Working with Dream It Do It and Jamestown Community College, GOACC is able to bring this cardboard sled competition to the fest,” reported Dreher. The contestants will sign up at the Chamber for $5 and will receive cardboard, duct tape and a piece of rope - just the basics. The sled shall consist of ONLY these materials but are able to be painted or whatever else can be used to color the sled. Contestants will pick up their sled materials on Monday, January 31st and will create it at home, and then bring it to the Frosty Fest for the competition.
Depending on the number of registrations, there will be three divisions: youngsters, teens and adults. Those that bring their sleds for the competition and compete will receive a $5 Shop Olean gift certificate as well as be able to compete for prizes from DIDI.
Dreher added, “Frosty Fest is deemed a winter themed and family friendly event to shake off the cabin (covid) fever.” Other activities are being planned but are not fully confirmed with details. They include a curling tournament outside on synthetic lanes – so again, no worry about weather conditions. The City’s Largest Pancake Breakfast is also on the schedule and with the volunteer list gone out already, the Mayor of Olean (William Aiello) has signed up to flip the cakes.