Winter Festival

Winter Festival 2023

Please note there is a Date Change for the Winter Festival Event to Sunday February 5, 2023 from 11 am to 3 pm.

With the predicted Saturday forecast of dangerously cold weather, for the safety of guests, volunteers and DEEP Staff, the event date has been changed to Sunday February 5, 2023 from 11 am to 3 pm at Burr Pond State Park in Torrington.

Please note the new start time of 11 am. At this time, there is little to no ice at Burr Pond. Any ice that is on Burr Pond is not safe. There will not be any ice fishing on Burr Pond during this Winter Festival Event. Fish with CARE staff and volunteers will be on-site and will have the fish ID trailer as well as ice fishing educational materials and ice fishing demonstration set-ups on how tip-ups work on the upland.

Join us for a fun day of outdoor winter fun at Burr Pond State Park in Torrington.

Thanks to our partners-Fish with CARE staff and volunteers, the City of Torrington, DEEP State Parks staff and various DEEP partners, this event will include a wide variety of great activities, programs and demonstrations all outdoors at Burr Pond State Park by the following:

Ice fishing demonstrations only by Fish with CARE staff and volunteers (There is no safe ice at Burr Pond)

Fish with CARE-Fish ID Trailer

City of Torrington Fire

City of Torrington Police

CT Horse Council

CT Valley Siberian Husky Club

Connecticut State Environmental Conservation Police

DEEP Education and Outreach Table

DEEP Boating

Fit Together NWCT

Girl Scouts of CT-snow shoes

Indian Rock Nature Center (Environmental Learning Centers of CT)-maple syrup program

Master Wildlife Conservationists (Furs and pelts program, wildlife program)

REI (Smore's making)

RSAR Inc. (Search and Rescue Dogs)

Storytime by the Bonfire

The Institute for American Indian Studies

Torrington Trails Network (hikes)

White Memorial Conservation Center (animal encounter)

Winter Games

Ice Sculptures

Boy Scouts Troop 1 will be selling food

Parking: There will be parking on-site at Burr Pond State Park (main parking lot) as well as off-site location parking lots at: Burr Pond Boat Launch Ramp, Burrville Fire Training School and RBC Aircraft Products . There will be 2 shuttles (one in handicapped accessible) circulating between the parking lots/locations between the hours of 10:30 am and 3:30 pm. The shuttles will circulate between Burr Pond State Park on Burr Mountain Road in Torrington; RBC Aircraft Products at 2866 Winsted Road, Torrington; Burrville Fire Training School on Burr Mountain Road in Torrington; and the Burr Pond Boat Launch Ramp at 600 Burr Mountain Road in Torrington.

Fish with CARE information regarding ice fishing:

Fish with CARE-Connecticut Aquatic Resources Education
Ice Fishing information (Please note: ice fishing is always ice-dependent and ice safety comes first)
Let's Go Ice Fishing video-viewers can learn from life-long ice fishing experts everything from how to make a hole in the ice, to setting up a tip-up, to using a jigging rod and more.
Read the Ice Fishing Blog

Below you can find some additional information, activities and videos for families to enjoy during the Winter Season:

Fishing information and videos:

CARE videos on You Tube

Learn to Fish Student Materials

YOUth Fishing Passport –Your ticket to great fishing activities and giveaways in CT

Filet a fish

Wintertime foods:

Recipes for hot chocolate, snow ice cream, soups and stews

Fun things to do outside in the winter:

Winter activities to do in CT State Parks and Forests: winter hiking, explore a winter waterfall, snow shoeing, cross country skiing, downhill skiing, ice skating, snowmobiling

Winter Crafting:

ice suncatchers, snowman marshmallows, snow painting

Winter Science Activities:

14 Winter Themed Activities and Experiments For Any Climate

Recommendations for books about Winter that families can read together:

1) The Winter Visitors by Karel Hayes You Tube Read Aloud

2)Snow Day by Lester L. Laminack You, Tube Read Aloud

3) The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats You Tube Read Aloud

4) The Mitten by Jan Brett, You Tube Read Aloud

5) Snowmen at Night by Carolyn Buehner, You Tube Read Aloud

6) Snow by Cynthia Rylant, You Tube Read A loud

7) The Wild Toboggann Ride by Suzan Reid & Eugenie Fernandes, You Tube Read Aloud