Bayfield Winter Festival

Celebrating Snow, Ice and Cabin Fever!
Come to Bayfield for a wild weekend of winter fun, with a variety of activities to celebrate winter. Outdoor activities include the Run on Water, ice fishing, ice golfing, dogsled rides, broomball, skiing, tubing, snow kiting and deck party overlooking the lake.  Indoor fun includes a hunt for eggs in our swimming pool, live music and great shopping and dining during Bayfield's March First Friday.  Top it off with the hilarious Polar Bear Plunge and Saturday night's Mt. Ashwabay Winterfest Bash and there's great fun for everyone.  Many activities are fundraisers for local non-profits that promote recreation. New this year is WinterDASH, the ultimate winter 5k run and obstacle course.

The Bayfield Area Recreation Center is a community center (indoor pool, fitness room, racquetball court, classes) that serves the greater Bayfield area, hosting 30,000 visits annually.  Non-profit Recreation and Fitness Resources (RFR) was formed in 2006 to finance and operate the Rec Center when the School District of Bayfield threatened to close the facility.  RFR took on the seemingly impossible task of running a rec center that lost $150,000 a year, but has managed the facility on a balanced budget since 2006. 

The Bayfield Winter Festival started in 2006 as a fundraiser for the Recreation Center.  Initially called Manypenny Madness, it covered approximately three blocks and included a Polar Plunge, sledding down Manypenny Avenue, broomball, and a benefit dinner at Maggie's.  All proceeds were donated to the Rec Center.  The event has grown substantially each year.  This year events take place all over Bayfield as well as at nearby Mt. Ashwabay.