The warm summer breezes and bright sun are taking their annual hiatus.  But that doesn’t mean Clark Lake fun stops during the cold winter months.  You just have to dress for it.  For several years, the Clark Lake Lions Club presented an Ice Festival.  Recently Bill Tuttle contributed this photo of the 1979 Ice Festival.  The events took place at what is now the Township Park on Hyde Road at the west end of the lake.  This aerial view looks east.  And the exact dates can be determined by another piece of Clark Lake memorabilia—button number 1059, showing January 27 and 28,1979.

The history of another Ice Festival year is also covered on this website.  In 1974, the Ice Festival was held on January 26 and 27th.  And we know what happened that year via reports on WIBM Radio.  Events included snowmobile races, ice skating, and helicopter rides.  Rick Belcher took one of those rides with a crazed former Army warrant officer.  He says life was never quite the same after that.  Here Rick is, safely on the ground, broadcasting live.

Track 1: Jim Swain tells how to register for the snowmobile races

 

Track 2: Jim Swain describes how the proceeds will benefit people with vision problems.  As you listen to this report, note the forecast.  The temperature is close to 50 on January 26th!  Warm winter weather has haunted winter events for a long time.

 

Track 3: Al Rutledge gives the results of the ice skating competition.

 

Thanks to Tucker Boyers for forwarding Bill Tuttle’s Ice Festival photo, and to John Deming for the Ice Festival button.

The Lions Club Ice Festival may be gone, but other events have emerged from the cold. Here are three examples.  At the end of January, the Polar Plunge takes place at Eagle Point.  This year’s event will take place Saturday, January 28th.

Motocross on Ice happened at the east end near Ocean Beach.

The Clark Lake Cup typically occurs in February.  This year, the east end’s Almeda Court, hosts the game.