When the weather is chilly and the north wind is howling outside your window, thinking of the sunny days ahead can be a very warming experience.

Seems like it is never too soon to start to dream about spring, that time of the year when your fancy turns to the up-and-coming days out on the water, fishing for those delicious fresh catches.

Right behind these thoughts are the remembrances of the Lake Seminole Festival and Shellcracker Tournament, both which take place at Spring Creek Park Resort every April.

This year, the big day is Saturday, April 25.

Once again Lake Seminole will let down its hair and be the place to go for a fun day of fishing and enjoyment.

At this year’s festival, one of the feature attractions will be a “Rubber Duck Race.” One duck is $5 or get a “Quack Pack” for $20.

When you buy your duck(s), each will receive a number. At approximately 3:30 p.m., right after the weigh-in for the fishing tournament, the ducks will begin their race. They will enter the water in that part of the bay by Spring Creek Park. The ducks will then be directed to float toward another part of the shoreline by a created current. Here they will be met by their excited owners. First prize will be $500. The other top nine duck finishers will also earn prizes for their owners. You need not be present for the race to win. However, your duck may be lonely with no one cheering for him.

Buy your flock now by contacting Lion Reed Rognstad at (229) 861-3601 or Lion Pat Kirkland at 861-3334 or any Lake Seminole Lions Club member.

Another popular event is the “Best Dressed Cart Parade and Contest” sponsored by Dixie Sales. Prizes are awarded in several categories with judging at 2 p.m. Competition is open to golf carts and mules. For more information and a listing of categories as well as how to enter, contact Dixie Sales at 861-2640.

Also, right now the Lions Club is looking for vendors and sponsors for the festival. The more, the better. In past years, there has been a wide variety of foods, crafts, gifts and activities for children. Rognstad and Kirkland are both working to have the same true this coming year.

Sponsors are another very-much needed item. In past festivals, there were some very generous sponsors and terrific door prizes too. They are the ones who donated all of those great items.

Interested vendors, please call Rognstad 861-3601. Interested sponsors, please call Kirkland at 861-3334.

For those interested in entering the Shellcracker Tournament, just drop by the merchants around Lake Seminole. The rules of competition are much the same. Boat check in is at 6:30 a.m. with the competition beginning at 7 a.m. Entrants 12 and under will receive a tournament T-shirt and trophy. They also will be eligible for a $50 savings bond.

Along with competition prizes, tournament entrants are eligible to win one of many fabulous prizes, which are donated each year. Since most of these prizes are worth more than the entry fee, many folks enter not to fish but to be eligible for the drawings.

All of the proceeds goes to help the Lions Club in the lake area to provide vision care for those in need.

As the time gets closer for this popular event, I will update you on all of the happenings. In the meantime, don’t forget to reserve those ducks now.