The Highlands Chamber of Commerce is set to hold its second-ever Snow Fest in January after the Highlands Board of Commissioners approved the event.
Kaye McHan, Highlands Chamber director, said they are expecting to hold the event a little differently than last year.
“Last year, the area we held it went from the restrooms in the park all the way to the far side of the park,” McHan said. “This year, we are pulling it over where it won’t be in front of the stage, but it will primarily be in front of the ice rink, which is nice because it will all be together.”
The chamber will be working with a new company, Latitude 90, to blow the snow after not being satisfied with the previous company’s slow blowing capabilities.
“One of the advantages of this company is that it makes snow that is more like a real snow,” McHan said. “Last year, the Bascom came in and tried to build snow sculptures with the kids and the snow was like so dry that it wouldn’t stick together. They were able to make snowballs, somehow. So, it will be a better product that we are getting. We are also only using water. No chemicals or anything like that would be added to that.”
One problem that commissioner Buz Dotson was concerned about last year, was the decibel level of the snow blowing machine. This year, McHan said the machine will have a much lower decibel rate that would be below the noise ordinance. McHan said the chamber will also apply for an Amplified Sound Permit for special events to run the snow machine for 24 hours if needed.
“The decibel level for the new machine would be 55-60, at 30 feet from the machine,” McHan said. “That would actually meet the residential standards even though that area isn’t residential.”
For the new machine, McHan said she has met with Josh Ward, Lamar Nix and James “Yogi” McCall, who confirmed the 3-phase power will have enough to run the ice rink and the two snow machines.
“What we would like to do is pay to have two 150 amp disconnects added to the power supply so the machine can be plugged right in,” McHan said. “They have confirmed we can run the ice skating rink and the machines at the same time.”
Commissioner Amy Patterson questioned the amount of people that showed up to the event, saying that when she went by the park, there were hardly any people there.
“The thing with guessing event participation is that it depends on the time of day,” McHan said. “It was also the coldest day of the year, so many people went during the middle of the day. We did have a lot of families come on Sunday because it was better weather. We actually had to postpone it because it was so bitterly cold that we couldn’t have volunteers out there.”
Patterson also questioned who exactly the chamber is marketing the event for, which McHan said is more for local families.
“The goal of this event is, I mean, it’s the middle of winter, and we don’t get the snow we used to. This is a way to guarantee snow, all the kids are coming out and it is a family event,” McHan said. “The whole idea is to get the kids playing in the park and the families all gathered. THe families at the school loved it.”
Dotson said after driving by the event and seeing bags of ice being loaded into a machine for snow, it was disappointing.
“I would hope that if it did get approval tonight that it would indeed feel like real snow,” Dotson said.
The board approved to allow the chamber to host the event for a second year on a vote of 4-1, with Patterson opposing.
This year’s Snow Fest will be held Friday through Sunday, January 28-29, from 10 a.m., to 5 p.m.