By John Kubal | The Brookings Register
BROOKINGS — Beginning Friday and continuing through Monday, there are a wealth of activities for all ages that are pretty much guaranteed to banish any winter blues here in Brookings. Welcome to the 12th Annual Frost Fest and a really long weekend. Consider it an opportunity to relax and contemplate that maybe winter isn’t really that bad and by now spring is not far off.
“Frost Fest is about more than just surviving winter,” said Laura Schoen Carbonneau, Visit Brookings destination development director. “It’s about celebrating it. From families visiting our museums to incredible outdoor experiences around town, this weekend offers a reason for everyone to get out and enjoy Brookings.”
The wealth of winter activities play out at a variety of venues, both in downtown and in the local area. Think of FrostFest as a Brookings winter tradition bringing together such events as ice carving, ice skating, curling, and illuminated gardens after dark and a lot of other events catering to families.
“There’s a lot going on downtown,” said Cierra Steffensen, marketing specialist for Visit Brookings. “There’s the Chocolate Crawl; there’s an ice sculpture carving, arts activities, a farmers’ market. There’s a lot happening. There’s something for everybody. Absolutely.
“There’s shopping; there’s wandering around and enjoying the outside; there’s sports. We have curling going on.”
Those Saturday downtown goers wandering around, enjoying the outside and doing some shopping are encouraged to go inside the Brookings Arts Council from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and check out the 5th Annual Frost Fest Art Market. Multiple vendors will be selling original paintings, ceramics, jewelry, fiber, wood printmaking, and other handcrafted items.
Close by the BAC is the Children’s Museum of South Dakota. Make it a stop-by for the whole family, where the kiddos –– and maybe the adults they brought with them –– can enjoy winter prairie play exploring together. And on Friday families, children and their grownups can enjoy the Snow Ball: a winter formal, with music, dancing and a special meal made with young guests in mind.
For a really neat lunch treat, stop by the Brookings Activity Center on Saturday from 11: a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and support its Winter Warm-up Soup & Sandwich Fundraiser. For $8 you can choose wild rice or minestrone soup and a ham or turkey sandwich on a fresh-baked bun. Come hungry and bring a friend.
And another option for chowing down: The Burger Bash is still underway. It started with the New Year and goes through Feb. 28. Try a burger at a participating Brookings eatery and if you think it rates it, give it a vote.
“And out in the community, there’s the reignited Garden Glow at McCrory Gardens,” Steffensen noted. “There’s just a lot of activity going on; what we do is bring it all together, promote it to the community and the surrounding area and visitors as something to do.”
Also away from downtown is the Frost Fest Farmers Market, going on from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday at the South Dakota Agricultural Museum. On hand will be 23 vendors with offerings that include: fresh produce, baked goods, canned items, fresh coffee and a variety of handmade items.
“It’s an exciting way to break up the winter,” Steffensen said, summing it all up nicely. “ February, although it’s a short month, can sometimes get kind of long because it can be cold and snowy. This is a great way to experience more of Brookings, whether you’re from here and just want to try something new; or if you’re coming to town for the weekend, it’s a good way to spend some time with family and friends or by yourself if you want to explore some new and exciting things. You can see what Brookings has to offer, even in the winter. And most of the offerings are free or very affordable.
“It’s a culmination of multiple organizations throughout the community. Our goal was wanting something fun and exciting to do.” Mission accomplished –– and more.
For a full list of events, details and updates go to www.VisitBrookingsSD.com/FrostFest.
— Contact John Kubal at [email protected].
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