2nd Annual Festival Fights Childhood Hunger in Little Falls

LITTLE FALLS --  A central Minnesota family is putting on an outdoor festival to fight children’s hunger this weekend.

The 2nd annual Sunny Zwilling Memorial Ice Carousel Extravaganza or I.C.E Fest is happening Saturday and Sunday on Green Prairie Fish Lake in Little Falls.

The family-friendly event is free, but donations are accepted and will benefit the Flyer Pride Pack program that provides food for elementary aged kids who run the risk of not eating on the weekends.

Chuck Zwilling says he could charge for admission or for food, but chooses not to.

Somebody said you should charge an entrance fee or you should charge for the chili or something like that. So let’s say you put five dollars as the cost on something, somebody will probably give you a twenty and expect fifteen back. But if it’s a free will donation and we’re raising money to feed hungry kids, somebody will probably give you a twenty and not ask for any change back.

This year’s fundraising goal is $12,000, enough to feed the kids in the program for an entire year. Zwilling says they have already passed last year’s total of $4300 ahead of the event.

The family has also set out to break the record for the world’s largest ice carousel for the second year in a row.  Zwilling says this will be his fourth time breaking the record.

…and then along with that we’re gonna break the world record for world’s largest ice carousel, which we did last year. Then I went to Finland and helped them break my record. Then I went to Maine and helped them break Finland’s record and now the ball’s back in our court.

This year they have expanded the event to include a variety of outdoor winter activities including curling, speed skating, hockey, igloo building, and open skating.