Blizzard and Rudy are booked solid between Halloween and Christmas every year - and Sunday was no exception.
The reindeer pair were among the holiday additions to downtown East Lansing blending in with the horse and carriage rides, the old fashioned trolley car and carolers straight out of a Charles Dickens classic, to celebrate the 11th annual Winter Festival & Chili Cook-off.
And Blizzard, Rudy and their owners from Rooftop Landing Reindeer Farm in Pewamo, have heard all the questions before.
“‘Can they really fly?’ and ‘Are they really reindeer?’ are the most popular,” Chad Brown, an employee at the farm, said.
But while the temperature may have felt like fall, the air had a decidedly winterlike feel as hundreds of area residents filled downtown East Lansing.
Ami Field, assistant community events director for the city, said the number of participants has risen.
“We had 400 people come in to taste the chili in the first half hour and last year we had about 500 in the two hours it was open.”
Alan Diedrich, a food industry management senior, has been at the event voting for the city’s best chili for the past three years.
“It’s fun to come down and it’s one of the few events you don’t have to pay $5 to 10 for,” he said. Newly elected Councilmember Vic Loomis, a self-proclaimed “chili aficionado,” was one of the judges - a more difficult assignment than he’d expected.
“So far one (sample) is enough to make the challenge tough, it’s all good,” he said. “I think I’ll have to go through and taste them twice.”
At the end of the day, the Judge’s Choice Award in the chili cook-off went to Gramma Bea’s Deli, 323 E. Grand River Ave., while the People’s Choice Award went to The Peanut Barrel Restaurant, 521 E. Grand River Ave.
But while the chili seemed to draw the largest crowd, it wasn’t the only crowd-drawing event.
Santa Claus, in his first appearance at the festival, was kept almost as busy as he’ll be on Dec. 24.
“I like Santa because he gives me my toys,” Olga Skowronek, 5, said. “I’m going to tell him I want a real dog.”
For those too old to sit on Santa’s lap, an elf was drawing attention.
The elf was one of several ice sculptures created on the east side of the hotel, 300 M.A.C. Ave., Three men worked throughout the afternoon creating a sleigh, snowman and ornaments along with the Santa piece.
“It’s amazing what they can do in 45 minutes with a block of ice,” Maureen Moloney, a Williamston resident said. “I’ve never seen (this done) except at a wedding when it’s already finished.”
