Since 1854 — News from Montcalm County and Ionia County, Michigan

By Tim McAllister | on February 21, 2023

Dennis Lapaugh of Riverdale and his son Lance Lapaugh brought a selection of vintage and new snowmobiles to Crystal Winter Festival on Saturday for folks to check out. — DN Photo | Tim McAllister

CRYSTAL — Even though attendance hasn’t quite returned to pre-pandemic levels yet and the weather was mild for February, the annual Crystal Winter Fest drew big crowds to the downtown area and the beach at Crystal Lake on Saturday.

The Crystal Community Center was the location of children’s games and a craft show with more than 20 crafters offering hundreds of handmade products.

Judi Asiala, a first-time participant in the craft show, had a variety of items for sale, including scrubbies, towels and dishcloths. Asiala was also selling catnip beds and catnip toys to benefit Safe Haven Humane Society in Ionia.

“It was nice to have the warm weather, but they had to cancel some of the events, so I’m not doing too well today,” Asiala said. “I might try it again next year, though, because there is a fair amount of people coming through.”

Ben Bass brought handmade animal calls to the Crystal Winter Festival craft show on Saturday. — DN Photo | Tim McAllister

Ben Bass of Bass Woodworking had a wide variety of calls, shakers and noisemakers used by hunters to attract their prey, including goose, duck, turkey, rabbit and deer calls. All of the items were handmade at his wood shop in Sumner.

“I turn a lot of it on the lathe,” Bass said. “They have a boughten insert (noisemaker) in them right now, but eventually I’ll be able to make those myself. That takes a lot of jig work and stuff like that.”

Bass said it was his second year participating in the craft show, and he reported the traffic level to be about the same as 2022.

Rides on seven Shetland and Welsh ponies were available for $5 behind the Post Office, courtesy of Dan Hopkins of Earl and Son Pony Rides, a company established in Palo in 1953 by Dan’s father Earl.

“I’ve been doing this my whole life, and I just enjoy it,” Hopkins said. “The kids get excited, and that gets me excited. Kids don’t get outside and do too much these days.”

Temperatures were in the 40s on Saturday, so it was too risky to hold the polar plunge or ice fishing tournament on the ice at Crystal Lake. A tent on the beach housed a chili cook-off contest, an information and merchandise stand and a lunch provided by local Girl Scouts.

The Crystal Lions Club’s free “people mover” shuttle saw lots of action during the Crystal Winter Festival on Saturday. — DN Photo | Tim McAllister

There were three entries in the business chili cook-off: Wet Spot Bar, Crystal Lake Café and Uptown Bar and Café. The winner was Crystal Lake Café, based on the public’s reaction to samples of the different chilis. There were also six entries in the “personal best” home chili cook-off and the winner of that competition was Elmer Woodard.

Outside the tent was an opportunity to purchase several varieties of Girl Scout cookies from an actual Girl Scout, Makayla Spohn of Troop 25.

“Business is going very well,” Spohn said. “This is our troop’s first time selling cookies in a booth this year. We do it every year for a certain amount of time.”

On a hill in the park overlooking Crystal Lake sat a fleet of snowmobiles, some vintage, some new. Dennis Lapaugh of Riverdale was one of the snowmobile collectors and said he’s owned snowmobiles since he was 12 years old.

“Me, my brother and my son have got quite a collection of sleds, so we brought a little of everything so people could see the stuff,” Lapaugh said. “They make noise and go fast, just like a go cart. Anything that goes fast is fun!”

Later in the evening there was a bonfire, fireworks and a screening of the film “Ant-Man and the Wasp” at the Crystal Box Office Theatre.

There was not enough ice on Crystal Lake to have events like the polar plunge or ice fishing at Saturday’s Crystal Winter Festival. — DN Photo | Tim McAllister

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