Revived Aqua Freeze sees good turnout
Mayor says ‘pent-up demand’ resulted in good turnout at revived event
Attendance at the revived Aqua Freeze Festival held over the weekend was strong.
Some attendees of Macomb County’s first outdoor festival of the year had to park blocks from the festival grounds at Blossom Heath Park on Jefferson Avenue, north of 10 Mile Road in St. Clair Shores.
“This seemed like a good day to head outside and see what this is all about,” said Caitlin Hughes of Roseville. “I’ve heard a lot of good things about this event so I thought I’d check it out.”
People enjoyed visiting the festival’s various features of ice sculptures, games, food trucks, vendor booths, and a craft beer tent on the park’s six acres. At 36 degrees, the weather was on board until later Sunday afternoon when heavy snow showers moved through the park.
This past weekend marked the return of Aqua Freeze, which was cancelled for various reasons over the past two years. Organizers also moved it up a few weeks on the festival schedule to capture some of the New Year’s lingering tones.
“I think there’s been a pent-up demand for something like this, a real demand for people to get outside and enjoy themselves,” said Mayor Kip Walby. “You’ve got food, music and beer. We’ve had very favorable weather and a decent turnout both days.”
Sunday marked the end of the two-day event, organized by the St. Clair Shores Parks and Recreation Department. It also was the end of the Tunnel of Lights holiday event which proved to be another popular with the family crowd.
One disappointment was the cancellation of the Polar Plunge, where hearty souls will take a dip into a Lake St. Clair canal. Organizers had hoped to have the Plunge, but due to the pandemic concerns, officials decided to cancel it on Friday.