OTC-ON ICE 2019 Entertains Folks from all over the Region

No one ever said it would be easy to throw a music festival on a frozen lake in February. The 2019 edition of OTC-ON ICE! was far from easy, but it sure was memorable. Mother Nature threw a curve ball to event organizers when a blizzard hit the area the day before the event.  The snow and blowing snow were followed by brutally frigid cold temperatures.  “We were ahead of schedule in our preparations until the snow came,” said Event Manager Erik Osberg.  “Friday morning, it was all hands-on deck. As they say, the show must go on.”

And what a show it was.  Aaron Simmons and the Roadkill got the party started Friday night, playing arguably the coldest set they ever had played. “After our sound check, I couldn’t feel my fingers. But after we started our set, when more heaters were turned on and people started filling the tent, adrenaline kicked in. We showed grit. I am extremely proud of the Roadkills for putting on a fun show for OTC-ON ICE,” said Aaron Simmons.  The4onthefloor followed with a powerful performance that included front man Gabriel Douglas playing a guitar riff while spinning in a circle on the snow-covered dance floor.

Saturday was a little warmer outside. Inside the tent it was ‘hot’, a balmy 57 degrees, at one point during the evening.  Cindy Jo & Dirt Road Dixie kicked off day two by impressing the hearty crowd.  Then Tigirlily took the whole event to another level.  By the end of their show, the 7,500 square foot tent or ‘The Otter Dome’ was full.  Pert Near Sandstone put the finishing touches on a great night of music with nearly two hours of toe tapping homegrown blue grass.

Osberg said there were roughly 1,000 tickets in circulation with a steady flow of concert goers throughout the weekend.  A new daytime activity was added to the festival this year: The Otter Curling Bonspiel.  It is a revision of traditional curling with simplified rules and shorter games, allowing event goers a chance to try the sport in a less formal fashion. The Otter Trail Snowmobile Riders Club also lead a trail ride on Saturday, taking participants on a portion of the 669 miles of snowmobile trails in Otter Tail County. “OTC-ON ICE was a successful event that drew people to the area for a taste of winter activities and created a memorable experience for local people,” said Brad Stevens, Thumper Pond Manager.

Photo: Otter Tail Lake OTC-ON ICE 2019 inside the ‘Otter Dome’

You Tube Video: Recap of 2019 OTC-ON ICE https://youtu.be/jbDFvI4ta0E