[mcdude]

Our own riverat makes the news!

A day of family fun on the Alton Bay ice

Monday, February 15, 2010


For Donna Marie of Alton, a day in the life of an ice princess involves an awful lot of things.

First, there's all the blue clothes, face and eye makeup. Add that to the blue wig and the layers of clothing and memorizing the Chicken Dance, and "every day is like a crystal."

The Ice Princess was just one of the characters gathered on the ice in Alton Bay Sunday afternoon for the annual Alton Bay Winter Carnaval.

From sleigh rides to bed races, pancakes to hot dogs, and tours of the bay from one of two helicopters, there was always something to do for those who would brave the stiff wind and slippery ice of the southernmost tip of Lake Winnipesaukee.

Since last year's carnival, Peabody, Mass. first-grader Spenser Summit and his sister, Cassandra, have been planning Spenser's crazy hat for the Crazy Hat Contest.

"I wanted to do a chicken on my head," said the seven-year-old whose family also has a home in Center Barnstead.

Cassandra said he saw a Easter basket kitchen decoration and the two of them worked to make it into the first place entry in the annual contest.

Looking a little like a tiny version of the 1950s Portuguese singing sensation Carmen Miranda, Spenser's hat was pastel-colored eggs sticking out from the Easter basket firmly planted to his head by attaching it all to a white box that served as a base.

Although he was up against some tough competition — including a guy with a New England Patriots-decorated television camera named the "Belistrator" on his head and the second place finisher who had a hat made of copper clocks, young Spenser was the one who got the biggest cheer from the crowd — and the one who got to do the Chicken Dance with the Ice Princess.

Looking on from his pink-covered "The Love Shack" was Roger Thivierge who has put his bob house in pretty much the same spot for seven years.

Although a little disappointed he didn't win the bob house decorating contest, Thivierge said the winter carnival is one of his favorite weekends.

"I haven't done too much fishing today," he said adding since his retirement he comes fishing about every other day.

Thivierge said he didn't think the fishing was as good in the bay this year as in past years, but the Winter Carnival was just as good as it ever was.