OTISFIELD — Saturday, Feb. 15, from 1-4, preparation for Otisfield’s Winter Carnival kicks off with cardboard sled building at the Otisfield Community Hall, 292 Rt. 121. Children must be accompanied by an adult at all the Winter Carnival events. Cardboard and duct tape will be provided for the sled building. Children will then take their sled home to paint and decorate to their creative liking.

With this year’s Mexican theme, it’ll be fun to see what the kids come up with. In an age of electronics and plastic how refreshing to see youngsters use their imagination and see what they can design with simple materials.

Saturday, Feb. 22, (Saturday after school vacation) is the big day for the Winter Carnival at the Community Hall. Carnival games with a Mexican theme and prizes will be from 10-11:45 a.m. You may put on a poncho and maybe a hat and have your picture taken in front of the Mexican landscape backdrop, painted by volunteers.

The Winter Carnival Committee is excited to offer Horse-drawn wagon rides by Drafty Acres this year. This popular event happens between 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. A community lunch will be provided by the Social Outreach Committee from 12-1 p.m. The menu offerings will include tacos, chili, corn chips, sweets, coffee, tea and limeade. This, like all the events, is free, though donations are appreciated.

From 1 to 2:30 p.m., Make and Take crafts and cookie decorating, again with a Mexican twist, is happening from 1-2:30 p.m. This fun activity is hosted by the East Otisfield Free Baptist Church and will take place at the town office Annex (in the back of the town office). At 2, young contestants for the Classic Cardboard Sled Race will register at the Annex, and at 2:30, the race begins. Regular sleds will be available for use on the sledding hill as well.

Noreen Edwards of the Volunteer Firefighter’s Association (OVFA) is the force behind this community event. She brings members of OVFA and other volunteers from the community to plan and execute this fun, free family event. Money from the Spring Perennial Plant Sale that happens every three years is the primary fundraiser that makes the Winter Carnival free. So come on out for this fun family event and invite your friends.