Cold-weather activities offered at Coralville festival

CORALVILLE - The crowd at the third annual WinterFest on Sunday proved that even in the middle of an Iowa winter, the outdoors offers plenty of chances for fun.

“It's really neat,” said Rachael Mosier of North Liberty. “It gives people the chance to go outdoors and enjoy the winter weather.”

Mosier brought her daughter Bella, 3, and son Zach, 5, to the festival along the Iowa River Landing.

Activities were available for adventurers of all ages - “snowball” wars played with rolled-up socks, crafts, clowns, ice sculpturing, chestnut roasting, cross-country skiing, live music and

a horse-drawn trolley ride.

“It's to indicate to people that there are fun things to do in the winter,” said Shaner Magalhaes, 43, chairman of the festival committee.

Magalhaes, executive director of the Johnson County Historical Society, said the event is a great way to show off recent development in the area to those who aren't familiar with all the places to visit.

In past years, he said, about 1,000 people took part in the festivities, but he predicted more than 3,000 people would come out this year thanks to sunny skies and relatively warm weather.

Ron Hall, 60, came from Washington, Iowa, to create ice sculptures.

“I like the fact that I can create something like this,” he said. “It's instant gratification.”

Excited Coralville 10-year-olds Da'Shae Barlow and Charles Adams, who were enjoying watching Hall carve the fur of a polar bear out of a block of ice, said the horse-drawn trolley was a highlight of their day.