Each year, after the holidays wrap up, and the long, deep freeze of winter takes hold, Michiganders tend to go into bear-like hibernation, only emerging from their cozy homes long enough to go to work, go to school, or run necessary errands.

But in recent years, the small town of Milan has given locals (and visitors from farther away) a compelling reason to actually come out and play in the snow.

Let’s Chill Winter Fest – coming up on January 31 and February 1 in 2020 – is a two-day celebration of all things winter.

“The very first year (2014), … it was in Wilson Park, and it was really just broomball games, with different groups making up the teams,” said Milan Main Street executive director Jill Tewsley. “It went so well that the next year, we made it a more family-oriented event and extended activities into our downtown. The idea was really about getting people out of their homes in the middle of winter – finding a way to kick the winter blues and do something that would be good for the community’s sense of connection and health, and provide something families could do that was affordable.” READ THE REST HERE