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Winterlochen brings hundreds of local families to the Interlochen campus for free arts exploration and creative fun

Interlochen Arts Academy students, faculty, staff, and volunteers led multidisciplinary arts activities with children of all ages on Feb. 12 as part of Interlochen’s annual winter festival.

Winterlochen 2022 painters
Winterlochen 2022 ice sculpture

Stunning ice sculptures by Interlochen executive chef Marc Pritchard inspired smiles across campus as part of Winterlochen on Feb. 12, 2022.

Winterlochen 2022 Kids Conduct
Winterlochen 2022 swing dance
Winterlochen 2022 gallery
Winterlochen 2022 acting
Winterlochen 2022 sledding
Winterlochen 2022 student and child
Winterlochen 2022 drum line
Two students dancing

Hundreds of local families participated in free music, visual arts, creative writing, and theatre activities led by Interlochen Arts Academy students, faculty, and staff on Saturday, Feb. 12 as part of Winterlochen, Interlochen’s annual winter arts festival. 

“We’re thrilled to share the magic of Interlochen with local families and open our doors to children of all ages for a day of free arts exploration and creative fun,” said Interlochen Center for the Arts President Trey Devey.

A community winter arts festival has taken place on the Interlochen campus for over 20 years. Programming on Feb. 12 kicked off at 11 a.m. and included printmaking, face painting by Arts Academy makeup design students, a “postcard poem” writing workshop, an animation demonstration, mural painting, sledding on “Winterlochen mountain,” swing dancing by the Interlochen Tap Dance Club accompanied by live jazz, a rock band instrument “petting zoo,” and much more. Stunning ice sculptures by Interlochen executive chef Marc Pritchard inspired smiles across campus.  

At 1:30 p.m. the Traverse City West High School Drum Line led families in a parade to Corson Auditorium for a free performance of the Arts Academy Dance Division’s Romeo & Juliet. The performance features stunning scenic and costume design, original choreography by Director of Dance Joseph Morrissey, Prokofiev’s passionate score, and student dancers performing side by side with distinguished faculty members.