Shiverfest heats up with new attractions

Posted Jan 26, 2012 By Emma Jackson

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Shiverfest returns to Manotick this weekend with some new and exciting additions.

The Manotick Village Community Association has expanded its chili cook-off, planned a showcase of local bands and added a trivia contest at the Mill Tavern.

Association vice president and Shiverfest organizer Jan Hynes said the changes are meant to reach out to new demographics in the community.

"Because Shiverfest has in the past focused on very young children, we wanted something that would target kids in the teenager group," Hynes said the of the band showcase. As for the trivia contest, that's for a whole different group altogether. "It's more for the adults and seniors. We're looking for people who want to get out and enjoy. We're certainly going to encourage the elderly to come out, because it's a fun event," she said.

The band showcase will take place Saturday, Jan. 28 from 6 to 9 p.m. in the Manotick arena hall. Four local bands, all with teenaged musicians, will take the stage for the all-ages event for teens and pre-teens aged about 11 to 15. Admission is free, and a pop and pizza combo costs $3. Manotick band Hollarado, which won a local battle of the bands several years ago and now tours nationally, has donated several t-shirts to be raffled off at the event.

Hynes said the event existed last year but was billed more as a dance.

"It was called a dance, but nobody danced. They're teeny boppers and they go to listen to the bands, so we decided to make it more of a showcase of the local talent," she said.

Bands in the showcase include Portrait of an Artist, The Fairest, Discombobulated, and solo artist Bailey Stanutz.

The trivia contest is brand new this year and is expected to attract about 70 people on Sunday afternoon, when it's hosted at the Mill Tavern between 1 and 4 p.m. Tickets are $15 each, with all proceeds going to the Raise the Roof campaign to replace the badly leaking roof at Watson's Mill.

Changes to the second annual chili cook-off on Saturday afternoon at the Manotick Legion include the creation of an amateur category and a professional category. Last year's inaugural contest was open to residents and businesses without any categories, and as a result there was only one non-business winner.

The fee to taste-test has gone up from $2 last year to $5, to help raise more money for Raise the Roof. Hynes said the event should be very popular.

"Last year it was very successful. We had 26 or 27 participants and the legion was packed," she said.

Third place winner Ryan Keon, lawyer and former Liberal candidate in the area, isn't able to participate this year but offered some sage advice to his fellow chili aficionados. "You've got to go absolutely up the middle with a totally basic, really good chili," he said. "Everybody else makes exotic chilis, which are great, but the exotic chilis are very hit or miss. With your basic chili you come right up the middle."

Despite the new additions, Shiverfest will still feature its classic events, including the Friday night family skate, bonfire and children's party at the Manotick arena, the Kiwanis pancake breakfast on Saturday morning, and sleigh rides, tobogganing and skating at Centennial Park on Saturday afternoon.

The Manotick Co-operative Nursery School will host a children's fun time for ages two to six at the arena during the Kiwanis breakfast, and Dino Reptiles will showcase exotic lizards and snakes from 1 to 2 p.m.

For a complete schedule of events visit www.manotickvca.org.

emma.jackson@metroland.com




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