COOPERSTOWN – Don’t let these long, cold dog days of winter get you down – let the food and beverages of the 41st Cooperstown Winter Carnival warm you up and tantalize your palate. Anyone familiar with Winter Carnival knows the great role food plays in the annual festival, held this year on February 9, 10 and 11. From gourmet samplings to local bake sales to even a hot dog eating contest, Carnival’s tastes and treats are bound to satisfy any appetite. Back by popular demand are Carnival’s contests, which local restaurants as well as the general public are invited to enter: Wings, Cheesecake, Chili and Chowder, and the much-touted Chocolate Lovers. Held at 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10, the Chocolate Lovers Festival will take place this year in the Farmers’ Market building in Pioneer Alley. All are invited to come sample a variety of chocolate goodies. Call 607-293-7349 for more information and details on entering your own homemade treats, or register online at www.cooperstowncarnival.org. Categories include individual adult, individual youth, and restaurant. Cash prizes for first place in each category; minimal fee for tasting. Come and enjoy a cocktail while you sample and vote for the best chicken wings around! O’Hanlans Steak House, Route 28 south of Cooperstown in the Commons, will host the annual wings contest from 1-3 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 11. The contest is open to restaurants and individuals; individual contestants are invited to order wings (at cost) from O’Hanlans and cook their wings there as well. Minimal fee for tasting; Call 607-544-1401 for more information or to register. Stop by the Cheesecake Tasting at the Methodist Church, 66 Chestnut St., on Sunday, Feb. 11 from 2-5 p.m. for more sweet treats. Your $4 donation will benefit Double H Camp Hole in the Woods at Lake Luzerne, NY. Cheesecake makers can enter for a chance win a free night’s stay at Cooperstown B & B. Prizes for top three tasty creations. Call 547-2532 for more information. And don’t forget the Chili and Chowder Contest, held from 3-5 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 11 at the Hoffman Lane Bistro. Vote for your favorite business and individual chili and chowder entries. Sponsored by Rotary Club of Cooperstown. Nominal fee to sample; Call 607-293-7349 or visit www.cooperstowncarnival.org to register and for more information. But these contests are only the beginning of all of Carnival’s delectable delights. Visit www.cooperstowncarnival.org for a complete listing of events. To get involved, or to help support Winter Carnival in any way, please contact Brad Feik at (607) 435-5571 or Bill Senif at (607) 435-2149. Let’s make this the best “doggoned” Carnival ever! Committee members include Brad Feik, Chair; Bill Senif, Co-Chair; Teri Barown, Donna Borgstrom; Peter Deysenroth; Dan Evans; Jim Hogan; Amanda Pinney; Elise Schiellack; and Brian Wrubleski.
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