 Nancy Schiebe, Sculptor Read her story  Bob and Edie Cary, 2006 Grand Marshalls  Bob Maidl, head of the Snow Sculpture Symposium |
About the Ely Winter Festival
Here you can read the history of the Festival, plus some stories about participants, volunteers and festival rainmakers.
The history of the Festival | Interview with Nancy Scheibe, Sculptor
The History of the Winter Festival
In 1984 the Ely Ski Club (now known as the Ely Nordic Ski Club) started a cross-country ski race running from Tower to Ely called the Wilderness Trek. Local businesses and craftspeople set up booths at the finish line. Food and live music added to the festivities.
Bob Cary and Edith Sommer Cary, two of the original members of the Ski Club, were honored as Grand Marshals of the 2006 Voyageur Winter Festival (see photo, right).
Starting in 1988 Bill and Gloria Miller volunteered many hours to create and direct more activities at the finish line of the Wilderness Trek. Their focus was on expanding to a three-day weekend promoting outdoor activities and education about thehistory of the Ely, Minnesota area.
In 1995, the Millers and their army of volunteers called on Bob Maidl to organize a Snow Sculpting Symposium in concert with a now 10-day festival surrounding the Wilderness Trek and featuring the Voyageur historical aspect of the area. Steger Mukluks hosted the first Mukluk Benefit Ball. The first commemorative pin was designed especially for the festival.
In 1998, as part of the Voyageur Winter Festival, the Ely ArtWalk was created to promote artists and their work by providing exhibition space in the windows of Ely's downtown merchants. That year 16 artists participated, displaying 30 pieces of art in a handful of stores. In 2004 the Ely ArtWalk became its own entity, and in 2006 included over 170 artists, 600 pieces of art and 55 stores participating in the event.
In the intervening years, activites such as the Ely ArtWalk, the Opening Ceremonies, the Snow Sculptors' Jam (local musicians join together for a fun night of music and meeting the sculptors), a Crafts Fair, Sled Dog Rides, and the Kizer Spaghetti Feed have become regular parts of the festivities.
For 2007, the name of the festival has been changed from Voyageur Winter Festival to Ely Winter Festival. The historical aspect is still represented during the two surrounding weekends of the festival. Remaining are the popular International Snow Sculpting Symposium, the Mukluk Benefit Ball, and the Wilderness Trek, along with the festivities mentioned above. New this year are the Radar Run (a snowmobiling event), various outdoor activities for the family, a Polka Dance, and a special concert featuring a Duluth musical group, Warm Women of the North.
To see all the events, please visit our Events Calendar.
 Voyageur Encampment reenactment in Whiteside Park |
 Sled Dog Rides |