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From behind, a child sits atop their parents shoulders while a crowd of hundreds gather on the frozen lake as red and white fireworks light up the night sky.

There’s snow place like Winter Carnival

The signature event on frozen Lake Mendota celebrates the season the Badger way.

​Photo and Video by Althea Dotzou​r, Amy Gill​, Ma Vue, Taylor Wolfram​, and Xiaomeng Shen
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A flurry of people celebrated days of frosty fun at the Wisconsin Union for the Hoofers’ Winter Carnival, held Feb. 5–7. 

The crowd enjoyed activities both chilly and cozy, including ice skating, snowboarding, selfies with a submerged Lady Liberty, warm maple taffy treats and campfires, all topped off with fireworks over a frozen Lake Mendota.

To immerse yourself in the action, just press play (and turn up the volume!).

Hundreds of people mill around on the sidewalk and on the ice behind Memorial Union Terrace, with a partially submerged Statue of Liberty in the background.
Hundreds of people flock to frozen Lake Mendota for the Winter Carnival, rushing past the iconic submerged Lady Liberty. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison
Two people's sit and lace up ice skates.
People lace up their skates before taking a spin on Lake Mendota. Photo: Althea Dotzour / UW–Madison
People ice skating on frozen Lake Mendota
Skating on Lake Mendota is better with friends. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison
A man in Badger gear holds out his arms and smiles, crouching next to his 5-year-old daughter who is wearing a snowsuit and helmet.
Jay Stokes and his 5-year old daughter, Sikhona, show their excitement while ice skating. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison
A man demonstrates an ice skating move as his friends watches. In the background, people skate and move chairs on the ice.
Elijah Bartlett demonstrates a half swizzle pump to a fellow skater. Photo: Althea Dotzour / UW–Madison
Spectators stand behind a metal gate as a person flies above a rail on their snowboard.

Spectators watch as freestyle skiers and snowboarders compete in the Rail Jam at the snow-covered Memorial Union Terrace. PHOTO: TAYLOR WOLFRAM / UW–MADISON

A blond woman smiles as she sleds down a ramp on a dining tray, her hair flying in the wind.

First-year student Lilliana Ruggini sleds down a ramp on a dining tray. PHOTO: TAYLOR WOLFRAM / UW–MADISON

Two women are sitting in red kayaks on the ice. One holds her arms up and smiles in triumph after winning the kayak ice pulley race.

Thatchkorn Klaisuban (left) celebrates after defeating Natthaporn Mahaworakit (right) in the Whitewater Kayak Ice Pulley Challenge. PHOTO: TAYLOR WOLFRAM / UW–MADISON

A woman learning how to ice fish sits on the ice holding a fishing rod and reel over a hole drilled in front of her.

Selina Xu learns how to ice fish with the Wisconsin Fishing Team on Lake Mendota. PHOTO: XIAOMENG SHEN / UW–MADISON

Bucky Badger dances with a small child as a crowd watches.
Bucky Badger dances through the cold with Lydia Scoville from Monona. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison
We see from behind people riding a red carriage down the street; a couple and their small child turn behind them to face and smile at the camera.
The Griese family looks back and smiles while taking a carriage ride with Hoofer Riding Club. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison
A short-haired dog wears a red coat and metal chain with a Bucky Badger medallion.
Decked out in Badger gear, Boomer makes his way to the Winter Carnival with his family. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison
A person's arms pour boiling maple syrup from a ladle into a Union cup filled with clean snow, to make taffy.
Nandini Anantha demonstrates how to make maple taffy by pouring boiling maple syrup on a bed of clean snow. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison
Two men smile and hold up Ws with their fingers with a partially submerged Statue of Liberty in the background.
Jonathan Chan (left) and Leo Mazzocco (right) hold up Ws in front of the inflatable Lady Liberty on the Lake Mendota ice. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison
Two jugglers throw pins back and forth as a crowd watches.
Jugglers from Wild Rumpus perform for attendees of Frosty Fun at Alumni Park, which partnered with the Winter Carnival. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison
At left, a woman throws a curling stone toward the target as a man looks on during the “Floor Curling with RecWell Intramurals” event in Great Hall at the Memorial Union.
Kalina Kapetanovic (left) throws a curling stone toward the target as Joaquin Lopez Isabello looks on during the “Floor Curling with RecWell Intramurals” event in Memorial Union’s Great Hall. Photo: Althea Dotzour / UW–Madison
People gather and warm their hands around a portable campfire on the frozen Lake Mendota.
People warm themselves around a nighttime campfire atop the frozen lake. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison
Hundreds of people standing on frozen Lake Mendota watch as fireworks launch into the night sky above an inflatable replica of the Statue of Liberty’s head, arm, and torch.
Hundreds of people watch as fireworks erupt into the night sky over Lake Mendota as Winter Carnival comes to a close. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison

Tags: recent sightings, Recreatiion & Wellbeing, student life, Wisconsin Union

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