Celebrate winter at Back to Hack this weekend

HACKENSACK -- The Hackensack Chamber of Commerce will sponsor three days of snow and ice events this weekend to celebrate Back to Hack.

A light parade down First Street will open events at 6 p.m. Friday, followed by a bonfire and wiener roast in the city park at 6:30 p.m. and fireworks over Birch Lake at 7 p.m.

Christmas trees collected from area homes will provide fuel for the huge bonfire.

The Hackensack-Onigum-Walker-Akeley Family Center will sponsor a fun night and karaoke at the senior center at 8 p.m. Friday. Comedy Night is planned for 8:30 p.m. Friday at Lucette's.

Saturday events:

A craft fair and lunch will run from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Union Congregational Church. At 10:30 a.m., there will be a power ice auger exhibition on Birch Lake and vintage snowmobile show in the city park.

Snow games of golf, bowling and blind man's bluff will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Birch Lake. There will be a kids fishing tournament from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Birch Lake.

A treasure hunt on the lake and at businesses in Hackensack will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Treasure hunt maps will be sold at the visitor center in the city park and at Lucette's until 2 p.m. Participants should collect their prizes at Lucette's before 3 p.m.

There will be a chili feed at the American Legion from noon to 4 p.m.

The Hackensack-Onigum-Walker-Akeley Family Center will sponsor a bowling blaster at the community building from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m., a movie matinee and games from 3 to 4:30 p.m. and a 7 p.m. teen night at the community building.

Leech Lake Hockey tournaments on the city hockey rink for mite and squirt divisions will run from 1 to 2:45 p.m.

The fourth annual "Snowflake Queen" pageant will begin at 7 p.m. at the fire hall, followed by dancing for people age 21 and older to the sounds of The Has Beens band.

Sunday events:

The Hackensack Lions Club will serve a pancake breakfast from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the community building. Snowmobile radar runs on Birch Lake are planned from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Hackensack Ice Racers will begin start auto races on Birch Lake at noon. The Back to Hack raffle drawing will be at noon in the visitor center in the city park.

Prizes for the raffle include: first prize, $1,100 vacation getaway; second prize, weekend for two at Northern Lights Casino; third prize, $100 Lucie Loot dollars to be spent at Hackensack businesses; fourth prize, $50 gift certificate to Merv's Greenhouse.

Anyone having questions about any of the events can call (218) 675-6135.