Fire & Ice Festival:  2011 Schedule of Events

Presentedby Verizon Wireless

The Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival and the Cedar Rapids Downtown District have released the full schedule of activities including parade registration information for the 2011 Fire & Ice Festival. The festival is scheduled for December 3 in downtown Cedar Rapids.

New to the 2011 festival will be a Winter Wonderland activity zone in Greene Square Park-featuring wintery miniature golf, snowman building kits, holiday themed photo shoot with the help of a Snow Gun sent all the way from Salt Lake City, UT! Patrons may also enjoy the return of annual favorites including the Holiday DeLight Parade, Chili Challenge, Ugly Holiday Sweater Party and much more.

1PM-5PM       Winter Wonderland Activity Zone (Greene Square

Park)

Activities for all ages will be featured throughout the park! A snow machine will be on site shipped all the way from Salt Lake City, UT to equip teams and individuals with enough snow to make their own snowman. There will also be a place to take family pictures with an early 1900's sleigh courtesy of Dwight Hughes' Horse Farm. Patrons can also enjoy a wintery miniature golf course, listen to their favorite holiday music and popcorn sold by the Boy Scouts as well as other activities!

Presented by the RWDSU Local 110 & Carpenter's Local 308.

*All activities subject to weather* 

2PM-5PM Activities at TowneSquare Plaza(210 3^rd Ave. SE)

Free carriage rides through downtown will begin along with entertainment from fire juggler, Doug Sayers. Holiday décor including wrapped LED trees, vintage holiday banners and planters can be enjoyed throughout downtown along with holiday window displays provided by participating downtown businesses.

3PM-7PM        7^th Annual Chili Challengewith Quality Chef Foods (ArmstrongCentre Food Court 222 3^rd Ave. SE)

Come in from the cold as the Freedom Festival hosts their annual Chili Challenge fundraiser! Sample a variety of chili, brought to you by a variety of downtown businesses, competing for your vote! Quality Chef Food/Heinz, Whitestar Ale House, Prairie Soup Company, Red's Public House, Dublin City Pub, Sub Kind Deli and Kirkwood Community College Culinary students will be providing samples of their chili. Be sure to come and support the local restaurants! (Admission $5 Adults, $3 Kids and includes chili, beverage and cookies) For full details about the Chili Challenge, please check out www.FreedomFestival.com. 

Sponsored by Quality Chef Foods, a division of Heinz and Site Sponsor by Armstrong Development Company.

6PM Holiday DeLight Parade (Starting at 6^thStreet SE

and  2^nd Avenue-traditional parade route)

Join thousands along the downtown parade route to enjoy the glowing lights of this annual holiday favorite!  Parade emcees Scott Schulte and Ric Swann will introducelocal businesses, organizations and individuals and their decorative floats in celebration of the holiday season. Registration will be open thru November 25. Early bird forms are due by November 11. Details of the parade rules and registration information can be found at www.downtowncr.org. 

Post Parade   Santa and Friends Meet-and-Greet 

(Smulekoffs 1^st StreetSE) 

7PM-9PM       Ugly Holiday Sweater Party (Dublin CityPub 415 1^st Street SE)

Bust out your ugliest holiday ensemble for this hilarious downtown tradition! Admission is free with an optional $5 participation fee for a “Best of Ugly” competition, complete with judging and prizes starting at 8PM. Holiday drink specials will be offered to party patrons. Must be 21 to attend.

Thanks to Corporate Sponsors of the Fire & IceFestival: Presented by Verizon Wireless along with United Fire Group, Quality Chef Foods (a division of Heinz), Armstrong Development, RWDSU Local 110, Carpenter's Local 308, Guaranty Bank, Smulekoff’s and ImpactCR!