Putnam gets glimpse of icy winter at Snow Day
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BRANDON D. OLIVER/Palatka Daily News – Children play in snow pits while others careen down ice slides Friday during the second annual Snow Day at the Putnam County Fairgrounds in East Palatka.
Hundreds of families had fun in the snow during the second annual Snow Day on Friday in East Palatka.
Despite the temperatures remaining in the 50s, there were plenty of snowball fights and ice tube races, as well as face painting, bounce houses and law enforcement vehicle tours.
Positively Putnam – an organization made up of the Palatka Daily News and other businesses, groups and government entities – sponsored the event.
“What great fun was had by all at our second annual Snow Day,” Daily News Publisher Jennifer Moates said. “Kids of all ages came out to slide down the slopes, throw snowballs and just play in the snow.”
This year’s Snow Day had two ice slides, two snow pits, visits with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and picture sessions with Flurry the Snowman.
Many kids even made friends with children they didn’t know because they needed ice slide racing partners, while other kids wanted to race their parents or siblings.
San Mateo resident Rosie Eisenmann attended Snow Day with her 4-year-old granddaughter, who didn’t hesitate going down the big slide.
It was the 4-year-old’s first time seeing snow, Eisenmann said.
“Thank you Positively Putnam for an exciting family event,” Eisenmann said.
While many people who attended were local, others came from places like Jacksonville or from other states.
Shelley Lowery, who attended Snow Day for the second year in a row, said she and her family own a home in Putnam County but are from Cincinnati. They spent Christmas break in Putnam, so Lowery took her 8-year-old daughter to play in Florida snow.
“She’s come from Cincinnati just for this,” Lowery said.
Last year’s Snow Day took place at the Palatka riverfront, but the event expanded this year to the fairgrounds, which sponsored space for the free event. Hagan Ace Hardware in East Palatka also joined the sponsor list.
“Thank you to our Positively Putnam sponsors for making this wonderful event possible,” Moates said. “The turnout for Snow Day exceeded our expectations and we hope everyone enjoyed it as much as we did.”
