The 34th annual Presidents’ Day Weekend Winter Festival will take place Feb. 14-16 at Lakeside Park in Mayville. The event will include the construction of the iconic ice castle. P-J file photo by Eric Tichy

MAYVILLE — The Mayville-Chautauqua Community Chamber of Commerce announced that its 34th annual Presidents’ Day Weekend Winter Festival will take place Feb. 14-16 at Lakeside Park in Mayville.

The event, a tradition since 1987, will feature winter activities, contests for children and adults, as well as local food and craft vendors.

The centerpiece, weather permitting, will again be the ice castle constructed of blocks from a frozen Chautauqua Lake. The castle will be lit at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14, followed by the Queen of Hearts Ice Ball under the festival’s big tent from 6:30-9:30 p.m.

The 2020 Presidents’ Day Weekend Winter Festival will feature a number of new events and activities and continue many introduced in 2019, including the addition of a beer and wine tent, a pond hockey tournament and a children’s activity tent with activities planned by Camp Mission Meadows.

Other events and activities again featured will be the traditional Saturday-evening fireworks, bonfire and flare parade (weather permitting) by Chautauqua Lake Snowmobile Club, the Polar Plunge benefit organized by Family Health Medical Services (visit fhmsmed.com/events for more information and a registration form), a cold-water rescue demo by the Dewittville Fire Department, snowmobile rides (weather permitting) by the Chautauqua Lake Snowmobile Club, the annual Pet Parade at 4 p.m. Saturday, the Great Alphabet Scavenger Hunt sponsored by Beauty Boutique and G.L. Olson, the Snowball Distance Throwing Contest sponsored by Westfield Dodge City, children’s Snowman/Snow Animal Building Contest sponsored by Chautauqua Harbor House, Lego Creation Contest sponsored by North Shore Specialties, Kids Corner edible crafts and Rainbow the Clown, among many more to be added.

Additionally, annual Chili Cook-off on Saturday, Feb. 15, invites anyone who’s been told they make a “mean” chili. For more details and to enter, call 753-3113 or email jsasso@chautauquachamber.org.

Sonsors include the town of Chautauqua, Douglas Crane Service, Lictus Oil & Propane, Jeff Lang Enterprises, and Empire Energy (Platinum Sponsors); Chautauqua Marina, Guppy’s Tavern, Chautauqua Institution, and Kravitz Tree Service (Gold Sponsors); and Maple Inn and Maple Group Real Estate, Inner Lakes Federal Credit Union, Freay Funeral Home, and Lake Chautauqua Memorial VFW Post 8647 (Silver Sponsors).