Rochester's Winter Festival gave residents a cheery respite during a rugged winter

Katherine Beals cooking up s'mores with her children, Gabriel, 9; and Ayanna, 8 (Rochester Voice photos)

ROCHESTER - Postponed earlier this month due to an impending nor'easter and tucked in a day before tonight's dreaded blizzard/bomb cyclone, Rochester's annual Winter Festival saw mild temps and just a few, fanciful snowflakes Saturday afternoon.
"We have gotten a lot more kids than we expected," said Main Street volunteer Andy Foster, who provided festivalgoers with some whimsy on ice clad in an Olaf costume.

HELTER SKATER; Olaf the lovable snowman, looks on as youngsters practice their skating at Rochester's annual Winter Festival at the Rochester Common on Saturday

"If they've got a costume I'll wear it," said Foster, who dressed as a Candy Cane at Main Street's Festival of Trees at Studley's Flower Gardens in December.
Foster estimated that between 1 and 3 p.m. nearly 200 youngsters had enjoyed free hot cocoa, s'mores, skating, Touch-A-Truck and more during Rochester's premier winter event.
Katherine Beals of Rochester said she and her two children were attending the Winter Festival for the first time and said the weather was ideal for the event.
"I love how the snow is coming down so nice and light," she said as she and her two children cooked up s'mores over a wood-fueled fire pit.
Rochester Rec & Arena organized the event along with help from Rochester Main Street and Guyer Travel.
"We're very happy with the way this is going," said Rochester Rec & Arena Marketing Program Coordinator Nicole Lee
Skaters on the makeshift skating rink at the west end of the Common practiced their moves to the beat of a deejay, while many parents just chatted with each other as they watched their kids throw an occasional snowball at each other.
All in all, you might say the festival was a wonderfully relaxing day: the calm before the storm.