Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
CANDY CANE Festival royalty and committee members smile in preparation for the third annual festival on Dec. 13 in Mercer, Wis. From left are, first row, Aubrey Schoeneman, Makenna Allen, Alexis Engler and event chair Betty Snyder; second row, committee members Kathy Hanneman, Jim Hanneman, Kathy Storck and Jim Storck.
MERCER, Wis. - The annual Candy Cane Festival is set for Dec. 13 in downtown Mercer.
It marks the third year the festival has taken place, featuring a parade, baking contest and other activities.
Each year, the planning committee selects "Candy Cane Royalty," including a Peppermint Princess and Candy Cane Queen. Winners are selected through an essay contest, with students in fourth through eighth grades competing for princess and ninth through 12th grade students competing for queen.
Essays were due by Nov. 21. This year's winners are Peppermint Princess Aubrey Schoeneman and Candy Cane Queen Alexis Engler.
Schoeneman and Engler both wrote about how anyone can become royalty.
"I would like to be your Candy Cane Queen because I want to show the younger girls that anybody and everybody can be a queen," Engler said. "Even if you don't think that you are 'queen material,' you can still be one."
"I know that everyone has their flaws, but I also think that every girl is perfect in their own way," Schoeneman said in her essay. "I could show girls that no matter the stereotype, size, grade point average, anyone can be a princess."
Both winners will reign over the festival events on Dec. 13, including a ride on a float during the parade.
Parade line-up is at 3 p.m., south of Veterans Park, along U.S. 51.
At 3:30 p.m., floats will travel from the Mercer Area Chamber of Commerce office on U.S. 51 through downtown Mercer, right onto County J and right onto Railroad Street, concluding at the Mercer Sno-Goers groomer barn.
After the parade ends, people are invited to have hot chocolate and cookies in the barn, and the float winners will be announced.
Interested parade participants can register a float through the Mercer Area Chamber of Commerce. Forms are available in the chamber office, and floats can be with or without lights.
A baking contest will feature a candy cane or peppermint theme. Four categories will be judged, including cake, cookies, bars and candy. Participants must enter one cake or one batch of cookies, bars or candies.
Entries must be submitted by 10 a.m. to the Mercer Sno-Goers barn on Dec. 13, and judging will take place at noon.
For more information, or to register a float, call the Mercer Area Chamber of Commerce at 715-476-2389.
-Cortney Ofstad
