Pioneer Press: By Mary Divine

It’s been a long winter.

But there is one sure sign of spring: The White Bear Lake and Bald Eagle Lake Ice-Out Contest for 2023 is open for entries.

Rules are simple: one entry per person. Entries must include date of prediction for one or both lakes. Entries must be submitted by midnight April 7.

This year’s prize pool includes more than $3,000 in gifts and gift certificates from 35 different White Bear Lake businesses; the prizes will be divided among those who guess either correct date, said Alan Haskins, the organizer of the contest.

The earliest ice-out date officially recorded for White Bear Lake was April 2, 1928; the latest is May 4 in both 2018 and 1950. For Bald Eagle Lake, the earliest ice-out date recorded was March 16, 2016; the latest was May 2, 2018.

Haskins, the owner of Nimble Impressions, a marketing agency in White Bear Lake, recommends guessing a date toward the end of April this year.

“The ice is still really thick,” he said. “It’s the equivalent of mid-January right now out on the lake. In both lakes, it’s going to be a date in late April or perhaps in May. It’s this deep freeze that we’re having – we’re freezing more in the last few days than we are thawing.”

Contestants are asked to guess the ice-out dates and tag their favorite White Bear Lake business on the contest’s Facebook page. This is the third year Haskins has run the contest.

“This was born out of COVID,” he said. “I wanted to help my community, and I wanted to bring attention to the businesses here, especially those that were suffering during COVID.”

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Article written by Mary Divine at Pioneer Press