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Debbie Reed (standing, at right) and Olivia Toner smile for a photo with younger visitors at one of the children's activity stations at last year's Wheatfield Winterfest. (File photo by Lauren Zaepfel)
Debbie Reed (standing, at right) and Olivia Toner smile for a photo with younger visitors at one of the children's activity stations at last year's Wheatfield Winterfest. (File photo by Lauren Zaepfel)

Wheatfield Winterfest back for year 3

Fri, Feb 2nd 2018 02:35 pm
Communitywide event expected to offer winter fun for families
By David Yarger
Tribune Editor
For two years now, the Wheatfield Winterfest has brought winter fun to the table for kids and families of the town. On Saturday, Feb. 10, the fun is back for its third straight year at the Wheatfield Youth Center, 2795 Church Road.
Mike Ranalli, Town of Wheatfield Recreation director, noted the event has been a big hit in the past amongst residents. He also said the event is not easy to pull off because of how much the Recreation Department has planned for the future.
"I am very pleased with the reception of this added event to our event's list. It's probably our most challenging to pull off because of the timing of the event and what else is going on during this time. We are in full swing for our boys and girls basketball leagues and have been accepting registration for our tee ball, coach pitch, and baseball and softball leagues. Our youth center staff, who carry a lot of weight for this event, are ramping up our efforts to outline the upcoming summer camp, so there's an artistic balancing act they perform to pull them all together," Ranalli said.
Attendees this year can expect a food truck with food available to purchase. Dickey's Barbecue Pit food truck will be the newest addition to the 2018 Winterfest. Ranalli said the truck will be parked in the loop outside, in front of the youth center.
Along with the new food truck, attendees can expect animal encounters, movies, crafts, games and an indoor snowball fight. Along with the indoor events, weather permitting, outdoor events include snowman building, a sled hill, snow painting, snowshoeing and much more.
Ranalli said all the events other than food from the food truck are free and he encouraged Wheatfield and neighboring residents to come enjoy the fun.
"We invite all of Wheatfield but we also encourage our neighbors from surrounding communities to attend," he said. "This event will be free for all. The Wheatfield Lions Club has been so generous to donate supplies and volunteer their time to provide free coffee and hot chocolate."
With the event slated for early February, it's that time of winter where people continually search for family fun around town. Ranalli said the event is a way that families can come enjoy themselves for a few hours for little to no cost. Also, the event is a great way for the Recreation Department to advocate future events.
"We are in the dog days of winter, so it's a great time for residents to get out for a couple hours and spend time with their families and socialize with others in the community. It's a great way for us to promote upcoming activities such as summer camp and our baseball/softball program, just to name a couple," he said.
The third annual Wheatfield Winterfest will run from noon to 2 p.m. at the Wheatfield Youth Center. For more information, contact the Recreation Department at 716-731-3942.

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