Jan. 27—GENEVA — Winterfest 2024 gets rolling this evening with the Winterfest Pageant at 6 p.m. at Geneva High School.

“We have 31 candidates this year,” said pageant coordinator Roberta Horvath. She said rehearsal was held on Thursday, interviews on Friday and the on stage pageant tonight.

The event, coordinated by the city and the Geneva Business Association, is scheduled for Feb. 3 and 4, with most of the activities featured on Saturday Feb. 3, including a parade at 12:30 p.m.

On Friday, the 2024 Winterfest Court is scheduled to take over from the 2023 group that just completed a year representing the city. The girls have also done a lot of volunteer work in the community.

The event is organized to give people a chance to get outside after being cooped up for much of the winter, said Geneva Recreation Director Myke Dowd.

She said the idea came from two area residents who came from upstate New York, where similar winter festivals were a regular occurrence.

Visitors coming downtown will also be treated to a chili cook-off in the Depot Street parking lot as well as horse-drawn carriage rides from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the downtown area.

Several events are scheduled at the Geneva Community Center as well. A talent show is on tap from 12:45 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., with the Geneva High School Jazz Band to follow at 1:30 p.m.

Jungle Terry will be front and center from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. to show off his animals.

Dowd said the event is designed to bring lots of people to downtown Geneva as well as break the monotony of indoor life.

Other activities connected to the Winterfest include a Saturday pancake breakfast at the Geneva United Methodist Church from 9 a.m. to noon and a craft show from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Geneva Recreation Center.

Live music is scheduled at the Dark Room Brewery from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.