NEWBURYPORT — Mother nature is at it again.
The Winter Carnival has been postponed one more day due to warm temperatures expected today, which could melt the ice at the Bartlet Mall.
"With the highs in the 40s Friday, we can't bet for sure that by Saturday morning the ice will be totally frozen," David Keery of the Parks Commission said.
Organizers have been at the mercy of Mother Nature all week as they tried to keep snow off the ice surface. The carnival already was postponed from last weekend, when temperatures climbed into the 50s.
Now, after a stormy week spent repeatedly clearing the Frog Pond of snow from this week's storms, the ice is finally almost frozen through and Keery is offering a guarantee it will be ready for ice skating on Sunday.
The carnival will be the third for the city. The first year the carnival was held, in 2005, it drew more than 1,000 participants; but due to unseasonably warm weather in years since, the carnival was canceled. Last year organizers waited until the week before the carnival to announce it would happen.
"I just want to make sure the ice is frozen through so no one goes home with a wet foot after it goes through the ice," Keery said. "We just need that extra day."
On Sunday, the carnival will offer ice skating on the Frog Pond, sledding and snowboarding demonstrations as well as free hot chocolate and cookies.
In recent weeks, members of the community have stepped forward to donate their time and energy, often hosing down the pond well into the night to ensure the centerpiece of the carnival, ice skating, goes off without a hitch.
For those who were volunteering tomorrow but can no longer make the Sunday carnival, Keery urges them to contact Lise Reid at the parks commission. Those who could not help initially but can now volunteer to help on Sunday, should contact Reid at nportparkscommission@yahoo.com
"I am absolutely sure for Sunday," Keery said. "I was 50/50 for Saturday and I don't think 50/50 is good enough to run the carnival."
Winter Carnival Scheduled Events
10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.: Sledding, snowboarding, and open skating
11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.: Horse-drawn hayrides
Noon: Family Snowflake Parade (Wear white, silver or blue and bring homemade snowflake flags.) Followed by opening remarks
12:30 to 1 p.m.: Figure skating exhibition
1 to 2 p.m.: Hockey exhibitions (Youth League and NHS)
2 to 3:30 p.m.: Skate races and winter games
3:30 to 4 p.m.: NHS varsity choir
4 p.m.: Closing remarks
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