Cape Harbour gets early start on holiday fun
The kids made snowmen and played in the snow outside of Fathom’s Restaurant at Cape Harbour Saturday night.
No, there wasn’t a cold front coming through the area. That would come the following day and it wasn’t nearly enough to make snow. It was just the restaurant getting a jump on the holiday celebrations.
Holiday Magic on Friday, which has been a staple at Cape Harbour for several years, kicked things off with the lighting of the Christmas tree, live music and an appearance from Santa.
This year, Timothy Hoffman, an owner of Fathom’s, said he wanted to do something to bring people in for the entire weekend. Thus, the Snow Festival was born.
A truck full of snow was brought in around 5 p.m., just before the event began, and it started to melt as soon as it hit the hot pavement.
“We brought in about six tons of snow for the kids, we brought in ice carving and Wicked Dolphin is here as a sponsor, as well as arts and crafts,” Hoffman said. “Holiday Magic is a great event, but it’s better to make it two-day event.
Hoffman said it would be great to bring in something some kids hadn’t seen or played in before, but something showed up, too – rain.
The event started and stopped throughout the night as rain pelted down off and on, turning the snow into a gray, slushy mess in a hurry.
That didn’t stop the kids, many dressed in shorts and sneakers, from frolicking in the 500-square-foot Winter Wonderland.
Anistyn Heuglin, 4, enjoyed playing in it, especially since she had never seen it in her young life.
“The snow is wet and fun. I’m walking in it and I’m going to make Olaf,” she said, in reference to the the “Frozen” movie character.
Patty Cummings brought her family, including her twin boys, so they could get a taste of what they miss in Florida. She said the snow reminded her of Illinois without all the cold.
“I was laughing because back home they just got 11 inches. Everyone is by the fire,” Cummings said. “We moved here last year and this is different because we don’t have coats on.”
Luke and Dodge, the twin boys, 9, had differing feelings about snow. Luke, who prefers the sun, said Illinois snow is much worse and that he hated having to put all that clothing on.
“They have snow all the way up to your hips,” Luke said. “You have to get up, spend half the day get dressed, then you get too hot, and you get undressed. That’s the whole day.”
Luke’s words of wisdom: Never walk in the snow in flip flops.
Dodge seemed to like the Illinois winters more. He said he missed the snowball fights and hot chocolate.
“Snowballs, snowmen and snow days. That’s what I like the best,” Dodge said.
The event also featured a bounce house, face-painting and live music from a string quartet from North Fort Myers High School and The Gatlins.