The Coolest Celebration: EAC’s SnowBlast Winter Festival!

One of my favorite winter childhood memories is of cutting out paper snowflakes and hanging them around the house. I put them everywhere during the cold winter months — on windows, the refrigerator — anyplace I thought someone might see them and get a boost from the winter blues! I guess some things never change. Although I’m not the one making snowflakes — the Emmaus community will see these beautiful works of paper art in the windows of stores and businesses along Main Street. No one will have the winter blues in Emmaus this weekend! The 6th Annual SnowBlast Winter Festival kicks off this Friday (February 3).

The inspiration behind the festival was to tease families outside instead of hibernating indoors during cold winter days. After five years, the Emmaus Arts Commission continues this fun tradition and has added more art-related activities than ever before! The SnowBlast schedule includes a variety of free events — I have a few listed here, but the complete list of locations and times may be found at www.emmausarts.org.

Musical performances at different venues include Asian drumming, Emmaus Singing Society Band, Lehigh Valley Horn Ensemble, Joel Shimer, East Penn Elementary Chamber Players, Patrick Trio and School’s Fermata Nowhere acapella group. Music on the Triangle is furnished by Entertainment.

Art-related activities include the Second Annual SnowBlast Winter Festival Art Show & Sale featuring more than 40 original works of art by local talent. Hands-on craft activities will be hosted by Cedar Crest College C.R.E.A.T.E. Book Cart (Community Related Experiences in Art Through Engagement.) Artist demonstrations feature Bob Boehmer and Richard Farmer; Tai Chi and Chinese Calligraphy. Art displays include works by Carter LaBlanc, Jill Cramer, Kristen Barry, Sarah Gomes and Leslie Heffron at Baked Café and Bakery. will also feature a host of artwork. Watercolor folk artist Chris Wilsker will be featured at (all afformentioned exhibits from 5-9 p.m.); Knitting demonstration and knit-along will be featured at beginning at 5 p.m. A group art opening featuring local artists takes place at from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and 10 percent off stained glass snowflakes, may be found at .

What would SnowBlast be without fire pits, food, games -- and the popular SnowBlast Ice Bar sponsored by !

And by the way — the snowflakes I mentioned earlier in this post that can be seen on store and business windows along Main Street were made by students from and and schools.  I think they could teach me a thing or two about snowflake-making — they’re beautiful!

Hope to see you at SnowBlast Winter Festival!