With a warm reception in its first year by people both inside and outside of Freeborn County, The Big Freeze is expanding this weekend to include additional activities for the family.

New events this year include a Texas hold ’em tournament, snowshoe shuttle 5K, a disc golf tournament, a fishing seminar, rock on ice, auger races, Harley-Davidson games and a hog roast.

Add to that the various activities already in place — including a medallion hunt, an ice fishing tournament, a chili cookoff, a polar plunge, a winter carnival for the children and live music — there’s sure to be something for all interests.

“Come and enjoy Albert Lea and our lakes in the winter time,” said Randy Kehr, Albert Lea-Freeborn County Chamber of Commerce executive director, who is also one of the organizers for the event.

Kehr said organizers were surprised with how well The Big Freeze weekend went during 2010, and they’re hoping it is even more successful in 2011.

What is becoming Albert Lea’s annual winter festival kicked off Sunday with a medallion hunt, sponsored by the chamber.

The clues were printed daily in the Tribune and aired on local radio. On Tuesday morning, Kehr announced the medallion had been found by Nate Johnson and Holly Nelson in the boathouse at Brookside Park. They win $450 in Chamber Bucks.

Other events begin Friday, including a seminar about ice fishing, a Texas hold ’em tournament and ice skating to music at Academy Park.

A majority of the activities will be on Saturday, highlighted by the polar plunge at 2 p.m.

Kehr said 76 people participated in the plunge in 2010, and organizers are anticipating a significant increase in the number of participants this year.

“There are people who drive all over the state to do this,” he said. “We’re hoping to double the number.”

Albert Lea Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Susie Petersen said there will be a bigger area cut out of the ice for people to jump in than last year.

Firefighters and other officials will be assessing the ice to make sure it is still safe by the end of the week because of all the warm weather and melting that has taken place this week.

“If things are looking bad, we won’t have events out on the ice,” Petersen said.

The disc golf tournament, called the Big Freeze Ice Bowl, is organized by the Flying Lea Disc Golf Club. It will be set up between 8 and 9 a.m. Saturday and will be available for casual play all day.

Tribune Managing Editor Tim Engstrom, the organizer, said people don’t have to be in the tournament at 1 p.m. to play throughout the day. The admission fee for the tournament is a nonperishable food item. Five or more earns two mulligans.

Events Sunday include the Fountain Lake Sportsmen’s Club ice fishing tournament, a Dad’s Belgian waffles breakfast and auger race.

“This is a perfect time,” Petersen said. “Everybody’s ready to get out. No matter what, it’s going to be great for everyone — for the whole family.”

The following is a description of each of the activities planned for the weekend:

Friday

• Cold Snap seminar, sponsored by Cold Snap Outdoors, starting at 6 p.m. at America’s Best Value Inn.

• Texas hold ’em tournament, sponsored by the Fountain Lake Sportsmen’s Club, starting at 6:30 p.m. at America’s Best Value Inn.

• Rock on ice, sponsored by the Albert Lea Grizzlies and Albert Lea Park and Recreation Department, 7 to 9 p.m., at Academy Park.

Saturday

• Take a Kid Ice Fishing, sponsored by the Fountain Lake Sportsmen’s Club, from 9 a.m. to noon on Albert Lea Lake. Free ice fishing rods, buckets and jigs for up to 100 kids.

• Skydiving/tandem jump, sponsored by Southern Minnesota Skydiving LLC., from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Participants are asked to meet at the main carnival tent to be taken to the airport. Cost is $50 deposit. Call Bryce Nelson at 507-383-9377 for information.

• Snowshoe shuffle 5K, starting at 11 a.m. near the main tent. Participants are asked to bring a nonperishable food item. Door prizes will be awarded.

• Chili cookoff, sponsored by the Albert Lea Jaycees, from noon to 3 p.m. in the main carnival tent. Cost is $3 per spoon to judge. To enter the contest, contact Brady Gooden at 507-383-7617. Prize is a $50 Hy-Vee gift card.

• Snowmobile radar runs, sponsored by the Minnesota Snowmobile Club, from noon to 3 p.m. on Albert Lea Lake. Cost is $10 for three runs.

• Harley-Davidson games, sponsored by Bergdale Harley-Davidson, from noon to 4 p.m. near the main carnival tent.

• Big Freeze Ice Bowl, disc golf tournament, sponsored by Nancy Vanderwaerdt State Farm Insurance and Albert Lea Medical Center, starting at 1 p.m. at Academy Park. Admission is a nonperishable food item.

• Kids winter carnival, sponsored by the Albert Lea Parks and Recreation Department, from 1 to 4 p.m. at Academy Park. The carnival includes an appearance from the Albert Lea Figure Skating Club, a sled building contest, sled race, skating and games.

• Polar plunge, sponsored by the Albert Lea Fire Department, starting at 2 p.m. near the main tent. Participants are asked to bring a nonperishable food item. All participants will receive a medal.

• Hog roast, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the main carnival tent. Cost is $10 per platter. All proceeds go to the Albert Lea Salvation Army.

• Live performance by local band Bad Monkey, from 5 to 9 p.m. at the main carnival tent. Beverages will be served by Geneva Bar & Grill.

Sunday

• Dad’s Belgian waffles, sponsored by the Noon Kiwanis, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Albert Lea American Legion Leo Carey Post 56. Cost is $6.

• Cold Snap auger race, sponsored by Cold Snap Outdoors, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. near Fountain Lake Beach. Registration begins at 10:30 a.m.

• Fountain Lake Sportsmen’s Club Ice Classic, from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. near Fountain Lake Beach. Registration begins at 10:30 a.m. Cost is $5 per line.

Shuttle available
A shuttle will be available to take people from the city pool to the main carnival tent behind Frank Hall Park on Saturday. There will also be parking available at the main site, but parking restrictions will apply.