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February 2026 NEWFOUNDLAKELIFE.COM Page 5 Community
Newfound Lake Inn’s Winterfest is Back February 21
The Newfound Lake Inn will host its 5th Annual Winterfest on Saturday, February 21, 2026, continuing a winter tradition that brings residents, visitors, and local businesses together on the shores of Newfound Lake. The free event is open to the public and will run from 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., followed by an afterparty with live music at Sal’s Birch Bar inside the Inn.
In past years, attendees have enjoyed Jeff Day’s impressive ice sculptures, a full-service carved ice bar, a heated tent with food and drinks, raffles, ice skating, and activities for kids, including games, scavenger hunts, and snowman building. Snowmobiles lined the beach, and everyone gathered around the fire to stay warm.
Winterfest 2026 will feature a full schedule of outdoor activ- ities, live entertainment, and food and beverage options designed for all ages. The event takes place on the beach at Newfound Lake Inn, 1030 Mayhew Turnpike in Bridgewater, using the scenic fro- zen ice for a day focused on win- ter recreation and community gathering.
with the opening of the ticket booth. At 11:00 a.m., registra- tion opens for the annual Polar Plunge, one of Winterfest’s sig- nature events. The plunge is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. and benefits the Newfound Lake Re- gion Association, which works to protect water quality and natural resources throughout the region. The Polar Plunge has become a key fundraising component of Winterfest, attracting partic- ipants willing to brave the cold for a local cause.
Also opening at 11:00 a.m. are the food and beer tents, which will feature beverages from Amoskeag Beverages and a se- lection of food options available throughout the day. Kids’ face painting will begin at the same time, providing an activity for families attending with younger children.
Live music on the beach starts at 11:30 a.m. and continues through the afternoon, providing background entertainment while attendees enjoy the outdoor ac- tivities, food tents, and lakefront setting. Performances will take place both on the beach and on the ice throughout the day, including music by Henry Lal-
iberte. Laliberte will be playing from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
At 12:00 p.m., an ice carving demonstration will take place, giving spectators a fantastic sight to see of what will be created.
At noon, Sal’s Birch Bar opens inside the Inn, giving attendees a warm indoor option while still remaining close to the outdoor festivities. The combination of indoor and outdoor spaces al- lows Winterfest to accommodate varying weather conditions and different comfort levels through- out the day.
From 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., Dan Fallon will host karaoke on the beach, encouraging attendees to get those singing voices ready and adding an interactive ele- ment to the afternoon schedule. Families with children can also take part in the kids’ scavenger hunt, which begins at 2:30 p.m. with check-in on the Inn’s front porch.
At 3:00 p.m., Winterfest tran- sitions indoors to Sal’s Birch Bar for an afterparty featuring live music by Rich Thomas and Jeff Mitchell. The afterparty extends the event into the late afternoon and provides a more relaxed setting for attendees to continue
socializing after the outdoor por- tion of the festival concludes.
Now in its fifth year, Winterfest has grown into a recurring win- ter event in the Newfound Lake area, offering community mem- bers a chance to gather during the colder months when local activities are limited. Organizers note that the event is designed to
be accessible and family-friendly, with no admission fee and activ- ities spread throughout the day.
Winterfest 2026 is free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to dress for win- ter conditions and plan to spend time both outdoors on the beach and indoors at the Inn as the day’s events unfold.
The day begins at 10:30 a.m.
“Dine Out”
February 2nd, 7th, 13th, 14th
Fundraiser
Want to break the winter doldrums? Over the next few months, local restaurants are teaming up with the Friends of the Minot-Sleeper Library to raise money.
Participating restaurants receive recognition in our advertising, and the library receives funds to help support events and programs, which in turn benefit the commu- nity. This is a win-win for all involved.
Here’s how it works: When you eat at a participating restaurant on their “Dine Out” date, give your server
the bookmark indicating that you are dining out for the li- brary. A portion of the bill will then be donated to the library. Bookmarks are available at the library desk.
Dates and locations for February are listed on the ac- companying bookmark sched- ule. Any changes or updates will be noted on the library website: minotsleeperlibrary. org
The Friends of the Mi- not-Sleeper Library is a 501(c)3 non-profit organiza- tion dedicated to serving the community.
20% OFF
FOOD ITEMS EVERY THURSDAY
603 744 9111
1030 Mayhew Turnpike. Bridgewater, NH 03222
NEWFOUNDLAKEINN.COM
SATURDAY | FEBRUARY 21 | 2026 10:30 AM - 3:00 PM