By By ERIN VER BERKMOES / Niles Daily Star
NILES - Whether there are frigid temperatures or if it's just a nice sunny winter day, why not head to downtown Niles to check out the second annual Hunter Ice Festival on Jan. 13-15, 2006.
The event will feature ice carving, refreshments, entertainment and a Niles history lesson. The festival is designed to tell the story of the Hunter Brothers Ice and Ice Cream company which was in Niles from 1899 to 1925.
Festival goers and community members can place a vote for their favorite sculpture created by the carvers during the festival for $1 per vote through Jan. 22.
Croteau said the Niles District Library will be telling the history of the Hunter Brothers and their company by partnering with Southwestern Michigan College to borrow some of the original artifacts from the Hunter Ice House, as well as pictures, which will be on display at the library and throughout downtown Niles in store windows. A video of ice harvesting will be showing at the library during the festival.
Also, during the Hunter Ice Festival, Support The Fort will be having a feast for public viewing on Saturday. “This will be at 127 E. Main St. on the Second Street side. Our members will be in our attire and show what a 12th Night feast would have been like,” said Jan Personette of Support the Fort. “ We hope to have people come in and get warm and see what we are all about.”