Get off your ice at Hoofers Winter Carnival

Back in the days when we used to have a real winter (why, just last year), the annual Wisconsin Hoofers Winter Carnival celebrated the season with all manner of ice-inspired entertainments • ice diving demonstrations on Lake Mendota, ice sculpting, ice bowling, ice climbing and ice sailing, as well as broomball, brats and bonfires. In 1940, students thrilled to skating waiters and a German band. This year, the thin ice on the lake might put the kibosh on some of the activities scheduled for the carnival, Friday and Saturday, Feb. 7 and 8, but so far, we know broomball and ice climbing are a go, as well as all the indoor activities, including music performances and hockey matches. For updates on the carnival activities, visit the Hoofers Web site, http://www.hoofers.org/carnival or call 262-1630.