CLEVELAND — Mike Roder is an Event Manager with the Burning Snowman Festival in Port Clinton. Every year, they build a snowman and light it on fire, drawing in crowds you’d normally see in the summer. 

What You Need To Know

  • The snow and ice totals along the Great Lakes are down, according to NOAA and NWS

  • It is causing changes for the Burning Snowman Festival in Port Clinton

  • The lack of snow prompted organizers to make artificial snow

“Over the years, we’ve come up with different ways to build a snowman, from chicken wire and rebar to steel,” Roder said. “This year we got a generous donation of two-by-fours.”

Roder said he prefers snow on and around the snowman. The weather didn’t cooperate, so this year they have to make artificial snow. Roder said the winter feel to the event draws people in. 

“They’re spending their money around town when there’s usually almost no one here,” Roder said. 

Data from the National Weather Service shows snow totals are down. Cleveland’s total as of mid-February is 16.5 inches. The normal is about 41.5 inches. In Toledo, the total is around nine inches compared to the normal of around 25 inches.

On top of that, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration found that five Great Lakes started out the first two weeks of 2024 with the second lowest ice totals in 50 years. Roder said that doesn’t bode well for ice fishing groups that want to see what all the flames are about. 

“They’re leaving off of Catawba,” Roder said. “They’re flying to Put-in-Bay to do ice fishing, so they’re already here. They leave their shanties early and they come burn a snowman with us.” 

Chassey Miller manages a bunch of the hotels along the shoreline. She said the burning snowman is a sight worth seeing, and can sell out hotels. She said opening up temporarily during the winter is what’s kept them afloat during the off-months. 

“Basically, it’s the boost from this festival that is the reason why we will be opening full-time again from here on,” Miller said. 

Roder said the beach and snowman are the kind of combo that draws people in. But a winter event needs snow to light the place up.

“To get em here, we’ve gotta make the snowman extra special, extra big, and make sure that we’re that excuse that they come in to town,” Roder said.

For now, the artificial snow is just an additional step in the setup. 

“Getting a topping of snow really adds to the effect,” Roder said. “Who doesn’t wanna spend a day on a snowy beach?”