Zehnder's Snowfest Returns January 21 - 26 to Frankenmuth

FRANKENMUTH, MI--(Marketwired - Jan 12, 2015) - Zehnder's Snowfest will celebrate 24 years with six days of snow-filled fun for more than 150,000 festival attendees. This special Frankenmuth winter event for the entire family presents world class snow sculpture championships, State of Michigan and high school snow sculpting competitions, and the US National Collegiate Ice Carving Competition. Families can also enjoy live music, kid's activities, food and fireworks. The Bavarian-themed town of Frankenmuth is only 90 miles north of Detroit. For a complete Snowfest schedule, lodging packages and directions go to www.zehnders.com.

Sponsored by Pepsi is a visit from the Detroit Tigers Winter Caravan on January 23, from 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. in the Snowfest Warming Tent. Detroit Tigers Assistant General Manager Al Avila and Tiger legend, Alan Trammel, will join four Tiger coaches Mick Billmeyer, Dave Clark, Jeff Jones, and Wally Joyner, broadcaster Mario Impemba, and 17 members of the 2014 American League Central Division Championship team. Players scheduled to attend include Al Alburqurque, Yoenis Cespedes, Tyler Collins, Rajai Davis, Anthony Gose, Bryan Holaday, Jose Iglesias, Kyle Lobstein, James McCann, Steven Moya, Hernan Perez, Andrew Romine, Bruce Rondon, Kyle Ryan, Alfredo Simon, Drew VerHagen and Josh Zeid. Team members attending are subject to change. This will not be an autograph event. Cameras and video recordings are welcomed.

Snowfest guests will have the opportunity to view the 2014 Tiger highlight video, participate in a question and answer period with members of the team, and win prizes in the USO Support Our Troops care package drive. Guests who provide a care package item will be entered in a drawing for great prizes from Zehnder's of Frankenmuth, the Detroit Tigers and Pepsi. Care package items can be dropped off at Zehnder's Splash Village Hotel & Waterpark front lobby or in Zehnder's Restaurant guest services office by Thursday, January 22, 2015, or on Friday, January 23, 2015, at Zehnder's Snowfest Warming Tent. Donors need not be present to win.

Daily Snow-filled Fun
The festival opens on Wednesday, January 21 with the start of World Class snow carving teams creating works of winter art from huge double and single blocks of snow, and the State of Michigan snow sculpting competition. The Children's Snow Sculpting event will take place at Frankenmuth River Place. Visitors can take off the chill in the Zehnder's Warming Tent and enjoy the aroma of the favorite Michigan Apple Recipe Contest.

On January 22 & 23, the festival presents the High School Snow Sculpting Competition.
As the other snow sculpting events continue, the public will be invited to vote on their favorite works of snow art. The highlight on Friday, January 23, will feature Greg Butauski, Award Winning Certified Master Ice Sculptor and his team when they complete a huge work of ice art. The team will use more than one hundred 300-pound blocks of ice to create a mammoth work representing Zehnder's Culinary Experience and the WNEM TV-5 Newsroom. The Butauski team will begin carving on Tuesday, January 20, and finish on Friday by 4:30 p.m.

Snow-carving awards will be presented on Saturday, January 24 followed by the annual fireworks show. Saturday also features the US Collegiate Ice Sculpting Competition. Festival guests can enjoy live music and dancing in the warming tent. Kids get in on the fun at the free petting zoo, pony rides and carousel; pony rides and carousel will only cost $2 per person.

Snowfest concludes on Monday evening January 26, with the annual Chef's Hot Food Competition and Tasting, themed "Cruisin' The Caribbean," a culinary salute to Tropical Island Cuisine.

Frankenmuth is considered one of Michigan's top tourism destinations with its Bavarian theme and deep-rooted German heritage that is reflected in Main Street shops and restaurants. For information on Zehnder's Restaurant, Retail Marketplace, Zehnder's Splash Village Hotel & Waterpark and The Fortress Golf Course, call 800-863-7999, or go to www.zehnders.com.