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Other stories in "Winter"

• This weekend
  On snow, race beds and ride sleighs.
• A throng of tall ships
  In 2010, schooners from around the world will converge on Great Lakes ports.
• Best bets for the weekend
  Fresh snow and a full moon: What could be better?
• Next weekend
  On snow, race beds and ride sleighs.
• Go, dogs, go
  Watch an elite field of mushers and huskies in the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon.
• Walking on ice
  To stay safe and have fun, buy a pair of crampons.
• Volunteering on Lake Superior
  Be keeper of the light or a watcher of wolves.
• Good deals
  Take a ski lesson and get a free lift ticket.
• Serious reservations
  Here's a guide to the lodgings, campsites and permits you should nail down now.
• Best bets in ski country
  Trails in the south bask in snow; a hostel reopens in state forest.
• Skiing in the city
  On the trails of Duluth, a cappuccino never is far away.
• Cheap winter retreats
  Spend a weekend mushing dogs or tracking wolves at bargain prices.
• Happy holidays from MidwestWeekends
  Here are our wishes (and gifts).
• How to make ice luminaries
  With homemade lanterns, make your front walk sparkle.
• A peek into an inn
  During holidays, B&Bs in four tourist towns open for tours.
• Holiday house calls
  On tours, see where the rich and famous celebrated Christmas.
• Magic under the moon
  In winter, plan a trip around a candlelight ski or snowshoe.
• A very merry city
  At Christmas, Chicago brims with good will.
• All eyes on eagles
  In winter, tourists and birds alike head for open water.
• Vacations for the brain
  Go to a summer folk school and you'll come home with a skill.

Wacky winter festivals

Some folks really know how to throw a party — and a lot of other things, too.

When people in Wisconsin are happy, they throw things – and we’re not just talking confetti.

For New Year’s Eve celebrations, a frozen 29-pound carp called “Lucky’’ drops 100 feet in Prairie du Chien, after everyone's had a chance to kiss him. In Plymouth, an 80-pound wedge of cheese drops 100 feet at midnight.

In Spooner, frozen turkeys are flung at bowling pins during Jack Frost Fest on Jan. 16 (pictured). In the Lake Superior village of Cornucopia, turkeys roll during Cornyval, March 6.

Teams toss frozen bluegills back and forth during Knickerbocker Ice Festival in Lake Mills, Feb. 5-6. During Bockfest at Capital Brewery in Middleton Feb. 27, the brewmaster lobs smoked chub (like carp, a rough fish) off the roof at the beer-guzzling crowd.

For Winter Festival in Fish Creek Feb. 5-7, adults toss toilet seats and bikes, and the kiddies sling tubes.

In Gilman, a forest village west of Medford, there's a frying pan toss during Sniegfest, Feb. 6. In Pepin, a wooden catapult hurls fruitcakes during Hometown Holidays in December.

Not every tossing town is in Wisconsin. Just across the border near Iron Mountain, Mich., Norway Mountain ski area celebrates Yooper Days Feb. 13 with chainsaw-throwing (and a frozen T-shirt contest).

In Iowa’s Amana Colonies, pigs fly Jan. 23 during Winterfest, where people with strong arms compete in the Great Amana Ham-Put. Weaklings can heave wienies at the University of Okoboji Winter Games, Jan. 29-31.

Minnesota is too polite to do much flinging, but folks in International Falls do bowl turkeys during Ice Box Days Jan. 15-16.

And if you’d rather push than pitch, head to north-central Wisconsin to compete in the Perkinstown Outhouse Race on Feb. 27. Prefer to pull? Compete in the Human Dogsled Races Jan. 31, during Winter Festival in Houghton.

Winter plans still up in the air? For more good reasons to get outdoors, see Great winter festivals or see the Events Calendar.

  Last updated on February 2, 2010