The temperatures have moderated, at least somewhat, and that’s welcoming news to those taking part in one of the region’s most popular winter events.
As many as 1,000 people will venture by snowmobile or more traditional means to checkpoints in Ely, Babbitt and Tower Saturday for the 23rd annual Fun Run.
The snowmobile event and fundraiser is on for this weekend with a giant wrap-up party and prize giveaway slated for approximately 7:30 p.m. at Fortune Bay Resort Casino.
In addition to 20 grand prizes, with a $1,000 cash award topping the list, hundreds of door prizes will also be awarded, in addition to numerous other raffles and a special giveaway for kids.
“I say it every year, but this will be the biggest Fun Run ever,” said Jim Zupancich, longtime Fun Run co-chairman. “Come out to Fortune Bay and bring the whole family.”
Co-chairman Nick Wognum added, “Local businesses have been very generous in donating prizes for this event. There are so many prizes, there’s a good chance you’ll walk away with something if you come out.”
A spinoff of the Vikings Arctic Blast events held here in the late-1990s and early-2000s, the Fun Run started in their wake and has become an attraction on its own.
The last several years, participation has topped 1,000 people and organizers expect a similar turnout this year.
While snowmobiling is at the heart of the event, with proceeds going to support area trails and participants encouraged to ride their sleds between checkpoints in the three towns, a growing number of participants go from town to town by car or truck.
“You don’t need to snowmobile to take part in this event,” said Wognum. “You can go by car and have just as much fun.”
Those who do participate by snowmobile figure to have more comfortable weather than they would have earlier in the week, when temperatures fell far below zero with school and some other activities canceled.
Saturday’s forecast calls for temperatures in the teens, and trails should be in good shape with ample snow cover in and around the Ely area.
The big draw this year, as in every year with the Fun Run, are the prizes associated with the event.
The list seems to grow every year, both in number and value.
Participants, for either a $25 advance entry or $30 on the day of the event, can increase their opportunities to win prizes by stopping at the Ely (Grand Ely Lodge), Babbitt (FishTalesTavern)andTower(Good Ol Days) checkpoints.
In addition to the activities during the day, the event concludes with an evening wrap-up party that usually brings several hundred people to Fortune Bay.
While all participants are entered into a drawing for $1,000 in cash and numerous other prizes, there will be several hundred prizes given away in all, with participants able to purchase tickets for numerous drawings.
The prize list also includes bigscreen TVs, golf and hotel packages at Fortune Bay, a year’s supply of milk, cheese, ice cream and bread, Zup’s and Blomberg’s gift cards and more. Fortune Bay will also be home to several raffle tables with prizes valued in the hundreds of dollars, or even more.
Among the top prizes include 70-inch flat screen TVs, a kayak, generator, gas grills, a $1,600 diamond necklace, gold watch, Michael Kors purses, pressure washers, snowmobile rentals and gear, pontoon rentals, luggage sets and more.
In recent year, prizes for children have been added to the mix including bikes as well as 100 goodie bags stock full of food and other items.
Proceeds from the Fun Run support area snowmobile trails, but the event has evolved in its two decades and now serves as one of the top family-fun events of the winter for the Ely, Babbitt and Tower communities.
“People like the Fun Run event because it’s something fun to do during the winter and the money raised stays right here to benefit our local snowmobile trail system,” said Wognum.
Zupancich also stressed the local nature of the event.
“All of the money raised stays in our communities,” he said.
Three businesses serve as checkin points but the influx of people usually helps other restaurants and shops in each community.
At Fortune Bay, the hotel is almost always sold out during Fun Run weekend with hundreds of others coming to the casino for the wrap-up party.
