Wayzata Chilly Open on Lake Minnetonka is canceled
The Wayzata Chilly Open is canceled on Feb. 10, 2024, due to unsafe ice conditions. (FOX 9)
WAYZATA, Minn. (FOX 9) - The 40th annual Wayzata Chilly Open has been canceled amid the unseasonably warm winter that has caused unsafe ice conditions on Lake Minnetonka.
The popular event, which involves people donning costumes and heading out onto the frozen lake to play golf, was scheduled for Feb. 10. On Wednesday, the Wayzata Chamber of Commerce, which puts on the event, notified golfers that the event was canceled.
"We are heartbroken to make a decision we hoped we would not have to make," an email to golfers said. "We were prepared to put in the extra work despite the conditions and lack of snow. We were ready to keep going and ride out the warmer temps and weather, but we are at a point where we just need to rip off the Band-Aid. We have made the difficult decision to cancel the 2024 Wayzata Chilly Open."
RELATED: Winter events in Minnesota: What's still on, canceled and postponed
The Wayzata Chamber of Commerce detailed what led to its decision after suggesting in early January it was looking for an option to hold the event on land if the ice conditions didn't allow an on-ice event.
The plan on Tuesday was to move forward with holding the event on ice on Wayzata Bay after event organizers measured 13 inches of strong ice. Even with the warm-up in the forecast next week, the chamber was hopeful ice would be safe. However, on Tuesday afternoon, a pressure ridge formed at the access to the lake, in front of Wayzata Beach, and as a result, 4-6 inches of open water are now sitting above the ice, which is a safety hazard and doesn't allow the chamber to set up for the event.
The chamber's backup plan was to hold the event on land by Wayzata Sailing, but the Wayzata City Council denied the plan Tuesday night.
"We gave it our all with about eight different scenarios and plans," the chamber said. "Some of which would have been a stretch, others that ‘might’ have worked. This has just been a terrible year for winter events. This treasured event is a major fundraiser for us, so it’s not only a blow to the Chilly Open supporters and participants, but also to our nonprofit organization."
The next Wayzata Chilly Open is scheduled for Feb. 8, 2025, with the same "Born in '84" theme.