News

Actions

Hundreds come out for the annual Cardboard Sled Race

Posted at 8:08 AM, Jan 28, 2018
and last updated 2018-01-28 08:08:46-05

GRAND HAVEN, Mich. —  It may look like Halloween in January, but the folks in Grand Haven got dressed up Saturday afternoon for a different reason.

It was the annual Cardboard Sled Race, where participants constructed their own downhill sled out of nothing but cardboard and duct tape, an event that has been going on since 1979.

Hundreds of winter enthusiasts gathered at Mulligan’s Hollow in Grand Haven for the race. Fun and creativity were at an all time high as sledders grabbed their cardboard and duct tape and constructed their own sleds in hopes of taking home one of the various awards handed out. With awards such as the ‘Top O’ The Hill’ and ‘Spirit Award’, many families were hoping to go home with an award.

One of the participants, Jennifer Jerovsek says, “The kids this week got together at Rosy Mound Elementary School and they work in groups of four or five, and everybody comes up with their own design of sled, and so these boys creatively came up with the idea with obviously using cardboard and duct tape and spray paint.”

With the cardboard sled race being only one of the events held during Grand Haven’s Winterfest, there were plenty of activities to keep everyone warm and having a great time.

“It started back in 1979 and the community absolutely loves it. Winters can kinda be so cold and drab, but this is so fun. There are events that started on Wednesday night and go through Sunday, and there’s just something for families and everyone to do all day in the middle of winter. Quite often we have a lot more snow than this and it’s a great event all around,” organizer Melissa Heyer said.

The Cardboard Sled Race, along with the other events held in Grand Haven for Winterfest, are always huge hit not just among the community, but Michiganders statewide.