A Few Tickets Remain for Wintercade

The 16th annual Wintercade Ice Fishing Contest will be held on Lake Ripley in Litchfield on February 14th from 1-to-3 p.m. Only a few tickets remain – at the American Legion, the Muddy Cow and Running’s – all in Litchfield.

Monica Schreiber says the Litchfield Visitors Bureau recognizes this event as one that draws a lot of people to Litchfield, and it’s held on one of the town’s main tourist attractions – Lake Ripley. She says they are so thankful for the committee members who organize this event.

Schreiber says a Wintercade ticket would make a great Valentine’s gift. Wintercade Committee Member Heather Lease says the ticket qualifies you for cash prizes and for the grand prize which is a Bobcat UV34XL.

Lease says you do not need to be present to win the big prizes, but you do need to be present to win the numerous door prizes that are given away at the lake. She says they are watching the ice depths and if it’s not safe on the lake, they would move the ice fishing contest to the Litchfield Fire Hall.

Wintercade Committee Member Nicole Larson says the ice depth is at about 13-to-15-inches right now on Lake Ripley, and they like it to be about 18-inches to make sure it’s safe. She says it’s a fun, family-friendly event.

Larson says it was such a beautiful, sunny day last year for the Wintercade Ice Fishing contest. She says the Litchfield Fire Department will have a concession stand open during the event. The Wintercade Ice Fishing Contest has helped to raise over $200,000 in its first 15 years, and half of that is donated each year to veterans’ organizations and the other half is donated to other local charitable organizations.