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KVR’s winter festival is this Saturday
Winter Festival
RED TAILED HAWK, Harvey, and her handler Abbie Krumrie, director of River Valley Raptors, delighted their audience for their Fireside Chat at the Kickapoo Valley Reserve’s Winter Festival in 2023. Harvey is trained as a falconry bird. Krumrie explained that River Valley Raptors was founded to inspire conservation of raptors in the Driftless Region.

With snow in the forecast just in the nick, nick, nick of time, it’s time to put the Kickapoo Valley Reserve’s Winter Festival on your calendar for Saturday, Jan. 13. Activities run from 6 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. In addition, a Candlelight Snowshoe/Hike/Ski and Winter Stargazing event is planned at  Wildcat Mountain State Park from 5-8 p.m.

The schedule of events is as follows:

• 6-10 a.m.: Bundle Up Breakfast at the Riversend Bar in Ontario

• 9 a.m.: Resolution 5K Run on Harris Road

• 10 a.m.: Fatting up the Kickapoo Fat Tire Bike Ride, and Guided Ice Hike (meet fireside)

• 10:30 a.m.: Fireside Talk with live raptors, Bucket Raffle opens in the Visitor’s Center, Snow Snake Competition

• 11 a.m.: Ho-Chunk programming in the Ciiporoke, Children’s Fun Winter Crafts, Sled Dog Fun Run

• 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Chili and Bread Contest/Tasting

• 11 a.m.–2 p.m.: Hiking with Llamas, LaFarge Fire Department Demo

• 11 a.m.-1 p.m.: Face Painting with LaFarge Art Students

• 11:30 a.m.: Fireside Beaver Talk and Hike with Al Cornell

• 12 p.m.: Smoosh Races

• 12:30-1 p.m.: Fireside Children’s Stories

• 12-2 p.m.: Penguin Races on the Deck

• 1-2 p.m.: Fireside Talk with live raptors

• 1 p.m.: Mutt Fun Run (bring your child and dog), Ho-Chunk programming in the Ciiporoke

• 2 p.m.: Fireside Talk – Llamas and Leave no Trace, Guided Hike to the Dam Tower

• 2:45 p.m.: Mystery Box Bucket Raffle Drawing

• 2:50 p.m.: Bucket Raffle Drawing

• 3:30 p.m.: Fireside Talk – Celebrating the Night Sky

All day events

• Self-Guided Hike and Seed Scatter

• Sledding (bring your own helmet and sled)

• Snowtrekker Encampment Tour (Willow Camp)

• Driftless Curiosities

• Snow Sculpture Demo

• Horse Drawn Sleigh Rides

• Meet the Sled Dogs

• Frozen Turkey Bowling

• Winter Hot Tent Camping Demo

• Touch of the Wild Conservation Trailer

• Self-Guided Ice Hike

• Old Time Ice Skating (skates available)

• Winter Sports Demos: Fat Tire Bikes, Kick Sleds, Cross Country Skis and Snowshoes, Natural Play Areas

• Winter Yard Games: Dig It – kids dig for prizes, Arctic Checkers, Yardzee, Giant Jenga, Tree Stump Tic-Tac-Toe, Balance Boards,Snowball Golf, and Broom Ball

• Concessions by Friends of the KVR

• S’mores Station

• Children’s Adventures: Snow Mountain with safe snow slide, Winter Sound Hunt, Snowman Treasure Trail, Nature Discovery Markers, Fairy House Finds, Nature Scavenger Hunt, and Candy Cane Tree Hunt

• Vernon County Energy District

• Soulful Saunas

• Pop Up Photo Shoots

• Warming Fires

• Heated restrooms.