Despite all of the snowstorms, I saw signs of spring Monday night at the Lewiston School Committee meeting, of all places.

Student representative Paige Clabby reported to the committee that plans were under way for the school’s prom fashion show. The prom is set for May 18. Ahhh, girls in beautiful, colorful dresses and boys in sharp-looking suits.

Student representative Marina Affo added that cap and gown measurements were beginning Tuesday for June’s graduation ceremony. Along with teachers being granted permission to take students on various state and New England competitions (cheerleaders, Lewiston Regional Technical Center skills), their reports provoked lots of smiles. 

— Bonnie Washuk

The collaborators of the Ice Festival of Lewiston-Auburn had no idea how people would respond to their inaugural event.

“We said we’d be happy if we had 200 people per night,” said Odelle Bowman, executive director at L/A Arts. “We had no clue how people would respond on our first year. I spoke with Jules Patry from DaVinici’s, a major sponsor of the event, the other day and he said he was still in a daze at the success and, so am I.”

Friday night saw 850 people, while 1,100 visited Fountain Park in Lewiston on Saturday, and 425 stopped in Sunday.

“People still showed up in the middle of the snowstorm Sunday,” Bowman said. “If it had been good weather, we might have had over 800 people.”

Bowman was also surprised by people’s willingness to travel to the event, citing people visiting form Windham, Portland and the Bangor area.

“A lot of great people in the community made this happen,” she said. “There was over $10,000 in food donated from 25 restaurants.”

The committee was still counting how much money was raised for L/A Arts, after covering their expenses, from admission sales and sponsorships.

“We hope to do it again next year but still have to talk to some people,” Bowman said. “Without the Bates Mill and Tom Platz, this never would have happened.”

— Amber Waterman