February Fest

Here in Kingston - each February - they have a "February Fest" where the city builds a snow village - a gigantic ice slide - the Engineering students from the Universities compete in Ice Sculpting and everyone bundles up - endures the cold and snow and has a fun weekend.

Oh and they have a Polar Plunge to collect money for the Special Olympics.

I have gone the last 2 years.  This year however things looked bleak for the Feb Fest.  Temperatures have been above seasonal - we've had more rain than snow - and what little snow we had has turned to massive puddles and creeks.

Most everything was cancelled............ except for the Polar Plunge.  Now there is just something about watching a bunch of costumed people jumping into the frigid waters of Lake Ontario that has brought me out for 2 years.  NO I am not plunging into frigid waters (I HATE the cold) but I do show up with camera in hand to document everyone else's brave spirit.

This year I was flip flopping on whether to go or not.  It's really not as much fun to go alone....... and I have had a total lack of enthusiasm for photography.  On the spur of the moment, Friday night at the munch, I asked mini me if she would like to come with me.  Good sport that she is - she agreed.

It turned out to be a gorgeous day - almost spring like - with the sun shining and the ice melting,

We spent some time watching the Polar Plunge and then took off and walked around the downtown area - taking in the melting puddles of Feb Fest.  

and yes I took pictures............. 

Just a small sampling for your viewing pleasure...........

 thumbs up from the diver - time to start........

And ......... they're off  - the water was just 2 degrees (Celsius)

 

 

Just a taste of some of the costumes

Mini me and I decided to take a little walk-about and see what sights there were.... 

Here are some of the sad melting snow sculptures........ 

And there is one last photo............ 

The photography group that I still belong to - despite my non-participation over these last months - had a new challenge "What is it?"   Mini me suggested I take a pic of the hooves on these horses............... 

and crop the hell out of it (as she put it) and post it in the challenge.......... 

Someone guessed it immediately - ahhhh well - being a city girl I wouldn't have guessed what it was (grinning)  I thought it looked like a boot .......... 

And that was my Sunday with mini me at the Feb Fest -  chalk this one up as my 3rd consecutive attendance!!