SLIP, SLIDIN’ AWAY AT FIRE & ICE FESTIVAL A LOAD OF FUN — BUT NOT FOR FAINT HEART

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

BRACEBRIDGE — Last weekend’s Fire & Ice Festival was more about ice than fire, but it didn’t deter thousands who flocked onto Manitoba Street for lots of fun if not sun.

Saturday was more about slipin’ and slidin’.

Or more prec-ice-ly You-Tubing as hundreds of them lined up down Taylor Road at the intersection for their turn to grab a coveted tire and haul it up the main drag ….

Then take the plunge off a mini mountain top and helped a spin master who offered the choice of backwards, forwards or just a tuque-raising run straight down the icy hill hoping not to bounce into the hay bail guard rails.

Thirty seconds of sheer chilling terror and fun — not for the faint of heart.

Call it the Wilful & Wild Muskoka Way to go downhill.

A winterlude a dude just can’t forget.

Sit back, just relax and enjoy the ride. It’s the Wilfull & Wild Muskoka Way to go downhill in the Heart of Muskoka. Photos Mark Clairmont

And if that wasn’t enough — you could get back in line one more time. As many did — and not just those under age 20 with their puffy rainbow coloured snowsuits.

Tiny tots had their own shortened 25-foot plastic version up top of the chill hill.

A highlight of the weekend, which did see some sun Sunday, the crowd favourite escorted thrill seekers into the block below for more games, food, crafts and musical entertainment.

With a breath of cold in the air and the joy of January in their hearts the Heart of Muskoka came alive in a wonderful mid-winter respite from all the shovelling snow.

Tubing on Manitoba Street was a four step process. First you line up to pick up your tube.
Second – what a drag – as you drag your butt up the hill, while keeping your eyes peeled on the riders making way racing behind bails of hay.
Third you get the brush off of your tube as you line up once more in anticipation of the fourth and final step, which is you know what.
Then it’s hold on to your tuque, you’re about to go headfirst into the thrill-seeking ride of your day.
It was a long way down, but many undeterred thrill seekers hauled their butts back up Manitoba to do it all over again.
Tiny tots got the abbreviated run down a plastic slide as a warm-up for next year when they get a little older for the bigger hill.
If you still had time and nerve you could axe the target at one of the games and events going on up and down the street.
And if you couldn’t find the fire pits dotting the streets, Grayson Meyers, of Party Time Treats and Amusements, had heaters to snuggle up to when buying cotton candy and other food offerings. He says the heaters cost about $1,000 for a half dozen. He and Jason Howard were the ones behind the popular Christmas Train last month.

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