ShiverFest celebrates North Dakota snowscape

by Luann Dart

Playing in a winter wonderland
North Dakota is a winter dreamscape for young and old alike.

Looking for a winter trail to traverse? Glide along more than 50 miles of groomed cross-country ski trails within the park systems and golf courses throughout the state. Or scoot around on more than 1,800 miles of snowmobile trails in North Dakota.

One of the state’s top ice fishing destinations is Devils Lake, where local residents celebrate winter with the state’s largest ice fishing tournament in January and the Devils Lake ShiverFest in February.

Warming up for ShiverFest
Scheduled for Feb. 18-20 this year, ShiverFest events are held throughout Devils Lake, with several outdoor activities at Woodland Resort or Ackerman Acres.

Malcolm (background) and Quenten Stubbe, the sons of Jarrod and Lori Stubbe, who are members of Nodak Electric Cooperative, patiently wait for a fish to bite during the kids’ ice fishing tournament, just one of the activities tailored to kids during the Devils Lake ShiverFest. While they didn’t catch a fish, the boys had fun during their first ice fishing experience, their father reports.

ShiverFest events include:
• A mite hockey tournament for the little skaters
• A junior and bantam curling tournament
• An ice fishing tournament for the kids
• Kite flying
• Snowcross car races
• Golfing on the ice
• Snowshoe races
• A pond hockey tournament
• Sleigh rides
• A quilt exhibit
• A motorcycle show
• Woodcarving demonstrations

For the fifth year, the Devils Lake Fire Department will coordinate the kids’ ice fishing tournament for youth up to ages 16. For a $10 entry fee, the first 100 entrants receive a tackle box, a fishing pole and a T-shirt. All the kids get a chance to drop a line through the ice and hope for a fish.

With 165 kids fishing last year, Fire Chief Jim Moe expects another good turnout in 2011.

“It’s a learning experience,” he says. “We want the parents to be involved as much as possible to teach the kids how to bait the hook and drop the line. We hope they have some fun with it.”
A veteran fisherman, Jerome Voeller, Rugby, fishes for walleye and perch in area lakes, and baited a hook at the 2010 ShiverFest with his grandchildren, Tambrey, Joey and Jerry Brossart, to introduce them to a sport he loves.

At the same event, Jarrod Stubbe, Devils Lake, introduced his sons, Quenten and Malcolm, to ice fishing for the first time.

“It’s North Dakota and it gets to be a pretty long winter and anything to break up the time and get some fresh air is good,” says Jarrod, a member of Nodak Electric Cooperative.

Clark Steinhaus, Devils Lake, a member of Northern Plains Electric Cooperative, is a ShiverFest staple with his horse-drawn sleigh, powered by a team of Percherons. He will be giving sleigh rides from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 19 at Creel Bay near Woodland Resort.

“It’s a great day,” says Lois Steinhaus, Clark’s wife. “I think ShiverFest is a great thing for the community. We live here, so we may as well enjoy it.”

As the landscape is draped with the white hues of winter, North Dakota’s outdoors still beacons.

To learn more about North Dakota winter activities, visit www.ndtourism.com.

Luann Dart is a freelance writer who lives near Elgin.