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Embrace winter with North Liberty’s Beat the Bitter festival
Annual festival kicks off later this month reminding residents to enjoy winter
Jan. 6, 2023 4:48 pm, Updated: Jan. 6, 2023 5:54 pm
Iowa City resident, Carolina McGinnis, takes pictures of her husband and daughter, Jason McGinnis and Ariah McGinnis (8), in front of the Beat the Bitter sign at last year’s Fire and Ice festival at Penn Meadows Park Jan. 30, 2022. (Amir Prellberg/Freelance)
Jodi Ellerie of North Liberty takes pictures of her children, Aiden Ellerie (left) and Amber Ellerie, at last year’s Fire and Ice event at Penn Meadows Park in North Liberty Jan. 30, 2022. Fire and Ice is just one of the many events offered at North Liberty’s Beat the Bitter festival. (Amir Prellberg/Freelance)
Josh Bertelsen of Des Moines breathes fire during last year’s Fire and Ice event at Penn Meadows Park in North Liberty Jan. 30, 2022. Fire and Ice is just one of the many events offered during North Liberty’s Beat the Bitter festival. (Amir Prellberg/Freelance)
Denise Miller and her son, Cyrus Miller, get ready to roast marshmallows at the Fire & Ice event at Penn Meadows Park in North Liberty Jan. 30, 2022. Fire and Ice is just one of the many events offered during North Liberty’s Beat the Bitter festival. (Amir Prellberg/Freelance)
NORTH LIBERTY — North Liberty’s Beat the Bitter festival returns later this month for the eighth year with fun events encouraging area residents to embrace winter.
Organizers of the annual festival, which started in 2016, have a mission to turn Iowans into winter lovers and offer a bright spot during the cold winter days, according to a news release from the city.
The winter festival kicks off on Saturday, Jan. 28, with the 5K-ish Glow Run. Individuals are invited to run, jog or walk around Liberty Centre Pond to celebrate the unveiling of North Liberty Lights, which is a monthlong illuminated display.
Entry begins at $15, and the Glow Run is open to all ages. This year, there also will be an after party at Tin Roost, 840 W. Penn St.
There will be games, ice skating and other activities throughout the week. Beat the Bitter is planned by the North Liberty Betterment group, which is led by city staff and about a dozen local residents, according to the event’s website.
Favorite events from years past — including Fire and Ice, the winter snowball tournament and Snuggie Crawl — will be back.
Fire and Ice is a free event on Sunday, Jan. 29, from 4 to 8 p.m. at Penn Meadows Park. There will be ice sculptures, fire performances, ice skating and horse-drawn carriage rides. The ice sculpture walk will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to take photos at the event.
The event will wrap up with a 15-minute firework display at 8 p.m.
The Snuggie Crawl — a bar crawl of 400 people dressed in Snuggies — will take attendees to six locations around the city on Feb. 4. There will be food and drink specials, along with games and prizes.
Registration is required for the event, which costs $55 and includes an embroidered Beat the Bitter Snuggie.
Another ticketed event on Feb. 4 is a winter snowball game from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“You’ve never played kickball like this,” organizers say on the Beat the Bitter website. This is an adult tournament that will feature eight teams trudging through the snow to win a champion medal.
North Liberty’s outdoor ice rink will again be set up in Penn Meadows Park. Skaters can bring their own ice skates or borrow them from the Community Center at no charge.
Other free events during Beat the Bitter include ice fishing, looking at the North Liberty Lights on a pedicab and a winter story walk.
A full schedule of events and information on how to register can be found at beatthebitter.com/events. Free events do not require registration.
If you go
North Liberty will hold its eighth annual Beat the Bitter festival from Jan. 28 to Feb. 4 with most events at Penn Meadows Park. Here’s a schedule of events with more details at beatthebitter.com:
Jan. 28: 5K-ish Glow Run, 6 to 8 p.m., Liberty Centre Pond, 795 W. Cherry St.; $15 to $25; After party at Tin Roost, 840 W. Penn St.
Jan. 29: Fire & Ice and Fireworks, 4 to 8 p.m., Penn Meadows Park, 355 E. Penn St.; free; activities include horse-drawn carriage rides; ice sculpture walk; bonfire; fire breathing and juggling performances; fireworks at 8 p.m.
Feb. 4: Kick Winter in the SnowBALL, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Penn Meadows Park, 355 E. Penn St. (adults only); $10
Feb. 4: Snuggie Crawl, 7 p.m. to midnight; shuttles will be a loop between six bars — Tin Roost, Copper Boar, The Leaderboard, Reds Alehouse, J&A Tap and Mosley’s; $55 to $65 (must be 21 and up)
Throughout February: North Liberty Lights, view this illuminated winter display around Liberty Centre Pond; free
Seasonally: Scheels Ice Rink, Penn Meadows Park, south side (on top of tennis courts), 355 E. Penn St., with parking at Penn Elementary, 230 N. Dubuque St.
Comments: (319) 339-3155; izabela.zaluska@thegazette.com
