Sisters fondly remember Alpena’s Winter Carnival
Courtesy Photo Beverly (Rondeau) Kindt, left, and her sister Sybil (Rondeau) Banks reminisce about the Winter Carnival from years ago. Banks was on the royal court in 1953.
Courtesy Photo Barb Kotwicki, Beverly Rondeau, and Cherie Hampton pose in their figure skates and costumes at the 1957 Winter Carnival at Mich-e-ke-wis Park. No, they were not wearing tights, and yes, it was cold, Beverly (Rondeau) Kindt said.
News Archive Photo The Alpena News’ Jan. 12, 1953 edition announces the ice empress and her court. From left to right are Jane Kennedy, Helen Ellsworth, Audrey Mark, Sybil Rondeau, Ice Empress Joan Ferris, Therese Munroe, Evonne Cripps, Anne Maddox, and Betty Lancaster.
News Archive Photo The Alpena News’ Jan. 9, 1953 front page announces candidates seeking the winter queen’s crown. From left to right are Sybil Rondeau, 17, Therese Munroe, 17, Audrey Mark, 18, Evonne Cripps, 17, Helen Ellsworth, 17, Joan Ferris, 18, Jane Kennedy, 18, and Anne Maddox, 17.
News Archive Photo The Alpena News’ Feb. 7, 1953 front page announces the carnival and shows a photo of a large crowd of people boarding the Snow Train from Detroit to Alpena.
News Archive Photo The Alpena News’ recap of the 1953 carnival features the queen and much ado about the winter carnival at Mich-e-ke-wis in Alpena.
Courtesy Photo Beverly (Rondeau) Kindt, left, and her sister Sybil (Rondeau) Banks reminisce about the Winter Carnival from years ago. Banks was on the royal court in 1953.
Courtesy Photo Barb Kotwicki, Beverly Rondeau, and Cherie Hampton pose in their figure skates and costumes at the 1957 Winter Carnival at Mich-e-ke-wis Park. No, they were not wearing tights, and yes, it was cold, Beverly (Rondeau) Kindt said.
News Archive Photo The Alpena News’ Jan. 12, 1953 edition announces the ice empress and her court. From left to right are Jane Kennedy, Helen Ellsworth, Audrey Mark, Sybil Rondeau, Ice Empress Joan Ferris, Therese Munroe, Evonne Cripps, Anne Maddox, and Betty Lancaster.
News Archive Photo The Alpena News’ Jan. 9, 1953 front page announces candidates seeking the winter queen’s crown. From left to right are Sybil Rondeau, 17, Therese Munroe, 17, Audrey Mark, 18, Evonne Cripps, 17, Helen Ellsworth, 17, Joan Ferris, 18, Jane Kennedy, 18, and Anne Maddox, 17.
News Archive Photo The Alpena News’ Feb. 7, 1953 front page announces the carnival and shows a photo of a large crowd of people boarding the Snow Train from Detroit to Alpena.
News Archive Photo The Alpena News’ recap of the 1953 carnival features the queen and much ado about the winter carnival at Mich-e-ke-wis in Alpena.
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ALPENA -- On a wintry day in 1953, Joan Ferris was crowned Alpena's Ice Empress, and Sybil Rondeau was one of eight "beauties" on her court.
The 19th Annual Thunder Bay Winter Carnival, held on Feb. 7, 1953, brought back fond memories for Sybil (Roundeau) Banks, then 17, and her younger sister Beverly (Roundeau) Kindt of Alpena.
Sybil, now 86, was overjoyed to hear that the Ice Fest was being held this year, organized by Thunder Bay Arts. While not nearly as elaborate as Winter Carnivals of old, Ice Fest offered activities such as ice bowling, ice sculpture carving, a huge bonfire, downtown specials and festivities, and more.
"Sybil was a cheerleader at Catholic Central, very outgoing gal, very beautiful," Kindt said of her older sister, who had a twin, Sylvia, who has since passed.
Kindt took photos to Sybil recently, and they both enjoyed looking through the photos and old newspaper clippings from the 1950s.
"I took these in to her, and she was so excited to see her name and remember Joan Ferris, the different girls," Kindt said. "Happy memories."
Kindt, 81, was excited to attend the 2022 Ice Fest, held on Feb. 12. Although it was very cold, she loved seeing all the people out enjoying the festivities. It reminded her of years past. She participated in figure skating during the 1950s at the carnival.
"I skated in 1957," Kindt recalled, noting that they wore short felt skirts and no tights. "It was so cold, I remember my teeth chattering … no tights, bare legs. And I remember when my mother came to pick me up, I said 'that's it. I'm quitting skating class. I'm never doing this again.' And I didn't."
She was 16 at the time.
But that didn't stop her from enjoying the carnival, back then and today.