The DeKalb Park District is hosting its 8th Annual Polarpalooza Winter Festival on Saturday, February 3, from noon to 3:00 pm, at Hopkins Park, located at 1403 Sycamore Road.

There will be festive fun for the entire family, snow or shine. This free, family-oriented event includes both indoor and outdoor activities to help you get out of the house this February.

Festival attendees will enjoy free hot chocolate and s’mores while warming up next to one of the community fires, hopping aboard a hayride through Hopkins Park, or exploring a fearsome fleet of snow vehicles in the Touch-a-Truck area. Outdoor winter-themed activities include snowman bowling, snow volcanoes, and an ice treasure-digging adventure.

Cure the winter blues with Open Skate at the Ice Rink, offering a small variety of ice skate sizes available to rent for free; however, attendees are encouraged to bring their own skates. Be sure to bring your sled to enjoy DeKalb County’s tallest point and the Hopkins Park Sled Hill as part of the day’s festivities. NIU Outdoor Adventures will be on-site to showcase winter recreational and rental equipment opportunities available to students and the public.

Indoors at Hopkins Community Center, there will be crafts and an activity with the Kishwaukee Special Recreation Association. Sweet Butts Cotton Candy will be at the festival, sharing free bags of their delicious spun sugar treats. While you chill out at the event, you can meet and take a photo with the Park District’s mascot, Ronnie the River Otter! Staff cannot wait to see everyone at the coolest event of the season.

A handful of activities are weather and snow condition-dependent, so be sure to visit dekalbparkdistrict.com or call (815) 758-6663 for a full festival schedule, park map, and Ice Rink and Sled Hill rules.