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LAKE GENEVA EXPLODES!
Winterfest came like a human tsunami this year, with thousands of people jamming into every conceivable nook and cranny of the Lake Geneva downtown area. Parking was stuffed to the maximum and the busses running people back and forth to the free lots out on Sheridan and over by Home Depot on Edwards Boulevard ran non-top from morning through the evening on Saturday. The weather this year fully cooperated, with temperatures initially cold enough to make carving the 15 snow sculptures under the very best of conditions, and then moderating to just below freezing for the crowds of people to gather, and then admire all the work being done by the visiting sculptors.
Winterfest recap…
The city crew battled a winter storm clean-up of over a foot of snow before the snow blocks could even get started to be formed. Mother nature made sure the scene was set for all the winter fun to come, however. The snow blocks are normally ready, with time to spare, before the snow sculpting begins, but not this year. The city crew had a lot of work to get done before the snow blocks could get started but the guys did it, the roadways were cleared, and the blocks were completed in time for the start of Winterfest. Winterfest had a cold start, perfect for the sculpting and then it warmed up a bit for the weekend crowds to come out and enjoy all the uniquely beautiful snow sculptures. Wow, but the crowds came! Four dollar an hour parking did not stop them.
Paid parking was full all day and that wasn’t enough, as cars were parked down to Williams Street and all side streets were packed. The shuttle ran two buses from both Home Depot parking lot and the lot on Sheridan Springs Road. Walking through the crowds to view the sculptures was a struggle but that didn’t stop the people. Everyone seemed to be having a great time enjoying the sunshine and slight warm up in temperatures.
Of course, the judging was a big deal Saturday, and the winners were announced later in the day.
- First place went to Block #4 of North Dakota “The Nemean Lion,”
- Second place went to Block #1 by Alaska, “When Love Hurts,”
- Third place went to Block #9 by the Wisconsin team, “You Are Not Alone.”
For those who could not, or chose not to, fight the crowds to get to the front of the Riviera for the winner’s announcement the live stream was a great back-up, although there was a serious issue with that. When Lake Geneva gets extra busy the city has more problems than just driving and parking, as live streaming and cell service go down with the parking (most Lake Geneva cell phone towers are turned off to save the companies from paying electric bills).
The mayor was correct the other day when she said that Lake Geneva cannot handle an influx of 60,000 visitors in one weekend. The Geneva Shore Report counted and then approximated for nearly a moving hour to calculate that that number was not far off, when all the people still coming, going, and revolving around in their vehicles were thrown into the mix. The crowds were not unruly, however, and the presence of drinking, illicit drugs and all of that were remarkably absent. Lake Geneva was and remains very well and quietly policed, which has to be the envy of so many police operations around the nation that have to somehow accommodate population increases of the size that was present this last Saturday and Sunday.
The parking project favored by some (a structure to be built either behind the museum down by the municipal building, or even a structure was envisioned and then turned away back on Center Street) may be the only answer as the visitors who’ve known Lake Geneva as a relaxing and beautiful destination for years have been joined by all the Illinois residents who found Lake Geneva during the pandemic. The Lake Geneva police and fire were all there and really terrific, as always these days.
