Ice Fishing, Snow Mobile Rides Bring Smiles at Carnival

Merrimack Parks and Recreation's 21st annual Winter Carnival drew a crowd to Wasserman Park on Saturday afternoon.

Last year's 20th annual carnival, with no snow and no ice, forced the cancellation of the snowmobile rides provided by member of the Merrimack Sno-Buds snowmobile club and the Lions Club Ice Fishing Derby. This year, snowmobile engines could be heard revving around the park as drivers took passengers around a track that looped around the softball fields down the hill and around the cabins near the lake.

Dozens of parents and kids steadied themselves as they shuffled around a frozen Naticook Lake dipping baited lines into the holes drilled for the fishing derby.

By 1:30, 15 or 16 kids had recorded catches with the Lions Club for the annual contest, including a couple bass but mostly pickerel in the 12- to 14-inch range.

Up in the rec hall, local clubs and organizations sold food and put on demonstrations, including a demonstration with Merrimack Police K-9 Gunny and a karate demonstration by the Independent Karate School.

Check out photos above from around the carnival and watch a quick video of snowmobile rides and part of the karate demonstration.