New and returning favorites promise to bring the groove to Vernon Winter Carnival

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“It’s so much fun. It’s such a great time and really fun for the whole family,” Executive Director Vicki Proulx said.

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This year, the cast will perform a two-act musical comedy called Doesn’t Time Fly from Feb. 11 to 14.

“We got some new blood this year. We’ve got some young talent that are going to be joining us this year so we are really excited about that,” music director Julie Armitage said.

Doors open at 6 p.m. and tickets are available at the Winter Carnival Office or the Schubert Centre.

Also returning this year for the kids is jam can curling and ice sculpting.

The curling event takes place from Feb. 10 to Feb 13 from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. and is open to elementary school students in Grades 4 and 5.

For the high school students, those with a competitive itch and a spark of creativity, may want to try their hand at the ice sculpting competition in the Civic Plaza on Feb. 7 and Feb 8.

“They go in teams of three and they carve a huge block of ice. It’s about a five-foot tall block of ice that they get to carve and create a sculpture,” Proulx said.

And it wouldn’t be the Vernon Winter Carnival without the Polar Bear Swim which gives thrill-seekers the chance to take a dip. The event will be held at Paddlewheel Park which is a change from last year.

“We had to cut through the ice on Kal Lake but at Paddlewheel Hall, we don’t have to because that lake hasn’t frozen the past few years. We are hoping it doesn’t freeze this year,” organizer Cassaundra Belanger-Menzel said.

Swimmers wanting to get warm will be in luck with hot chocolate, a bonfire, and the warmth of the hall nearby.

Admission is $10 and proceeds go toward the Zimbabwe Project, a grassroots organization in Vernon that works to support community development initiatives in Zimbabwe.

Momentum is growing for the upcoming Winter Carnival and some events are already sold out. According to Proulx, if you are looking for tickets for the parka party, unwind downtown, and Suds n’ Cider you are out of luck as tickets have sold out.

Tickets for Pinot and Paint, the Snowshoe Tour at Sovereign Lake, and the mother-daughter tea are close to selling out, and people are urged to get their tickets soon in order to secure a spot. Proulx says the tea blending workshops at Teaessential also have limited availability and those interested should sign up soon.

The 2020 Vernon Winter Carnival takes place Feb. 7-16.