The extreme cold is prompting the cancellation of all sorts of events across Iowa this weekend, but the 46th annual University of Okoboji Winter Games are still on — and organizers predict crowds of up to 40,000 over the four-day run.
Morgan Strauss is spokeswoman for the Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce.
“We just encourage everyone, obviously, to bundle up and only stay out there as long as you need to,” Strauss says. “We have plenty of indoor events and then Saturday is looking a little bit warmer.”
Today’s forecast high is five-below zero, with a wind chill of almost 40-below, but Strauss says they’re not concerned about the cold ruining the fun.
“We’re really just gearing up for a great weekend to fill our businesses,” she says, “and we’re so excited to have the Boji kites back as well.”
Outdoor events include golf, snow softball, broom ball, flag football, kite flying, and a boats on ice boat show. There’s also a human foosball tournament and a human sled dog race.
Arnolds Park and Okoboji Fire and Rescue issued a critical safety advisory to warn of ice instability due to a stretch of cold weather followed by warmer weather.
“All of our events that the Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber hosts are all foot traffic events, so these are all safe and just right off the shoreline,” she says, “so we don’t have a concern here, obviously, no ice is safe ice.”
The games opened Thursday and will run through Sunday.
(By Sheila Brummer, Iowa Public Radio)