Brewer's Winterfest draws crowds, despite cold
Children's fair, chili and chowder cook-offs moved to inside venues; ice sculptors persevere
Tuesday, February 21, 2006

With little snow on the ground, the weekend's Penobscot River Winterfest drew plenty of people inside.

A daylong children's fair filled with games and a variety of performers kept the kids busy and warm Saturday at the auditorium.

Five area groups performed downstairs at "The Cool Cafe."

And more than 300 people gathered at the Muddy Rudder restaurant on the river for "people's choice" chili and chowder cook-offs, which were moved from an outdoor porch to upstairs at the restaurant because of the wind-chill factor.

"At the auditorium, you couldn't find a place to park [because] it was so full," Mayor Gail Kelly said Monday.

The Ground Round Restaurant of Bangor won the annual chili cook-off, and Brewer's Weathervane Seafood Restaurant took top honors with the first chowder cook-off.

The ice-cold weather made creating the ice sculptures even harder but did not stop the professional demonstration or the local ice sculpture contest, said Tom Workman, Muddy Rudder general manager.

"It was bitterly cold and it was a challenge physically because of the wind," he said. "They look great."

The 81/2-foot-tall-by-12-foot-long sea monster made by professional ice sculptors Jeff Day and Steve Griffin remains where it was created on the river-end of the Muddy Rudder's parking lot.

Artist Tim Pierce from the Samoset Resort of Rockport earned first place for the local ice sculpture contest by creating a wizard.

Chris Whitman of the culinary arts program at Eastern Maine Community College in Bangor took second in the contest, and Jesse Bouchard of the Portland Marriott took third.

All of the sparkling sculptures are illuminated at night and will stay until the sun melts them.

Admission to the children's fair and proceeds from the French toast breakfast, cooked by the Brewer Kiwanis Club, will benefit the Children's Miracle Network of Eastern Maine Healthcare.