By MAUREEN PICHÉ

CANTON – The snow may be here one day and gone the next, but organizers of this year’s Canton Winterfest have plenty of events planned that don’t require any of the white stuff.

Featuring free movies, music, lots of food, church concerts and more, Canton’s annual Winterfest will offer 10 days of family-friendly events from Feb. 9 to 18.

“A Winterfest should be about winter, but the way the weather has been lately, you just can’t do a lot of outside stuff,” said Sally Hill, chamber executive director, who explained the chamber has deliberately moved away from snow-dependent activities after having to cancel them in years past.

Those events affected by ice or lack of snow include Friday sledding, the snow sculptures contest and outdoor rink skating. The sledding event has already been postponed until Feb. 17.

New this year, says Hill, are two American Girl Doll movie pajama parties at the Canton Free Library Fridays, Feb. 10 and 17 from 6-8 p.m. Kids are invited to bring their dolls, sleeping bags and pillows to snuggle while watching the movie. Tickets are $10 at the library.

The annual night of church concerts will be held Monday, Feb. 13, once again beginning with a bagpiper leading people of all faiths from church to church to hear local performers.

Popular returning events include several wine tastings, and some warming pancake breakfasts.

There will be a pancake breakfast at the VFW Saturday, Feb. 11, the Rotary pancake breakfast Sunday, Feb. 12, the Noble Hospital Guild soup luncheon and the VFW Ladies’ Auxiliary fish fry on Friday the 17th, and a comedy and dinner show at the Best Western Saturday night the 11th.

Sporting activities include polar golf Feb. 16, and a Frozen Foote four-miler Feb. 11.

Other highlights include the Grasse River Players’ presentation of the comedy “The New York Idea,” continuing tonight and Saturday, a hootenanny at the Blackbird Cafe Feb. 15; the Senior Sweetheart Sale hosted by Canton Senior Citizens, a GardenShare film about Adirondack farmers at the Unitarian Universalist Church, events at Little River School, a scrapbook “adventure” at the Knights of Columbus, and the cribbage tournament at the VFW Feb. 18; a presentation by Hope Marston about her book about the Iditarod, at the St. Lawrence County Historical Association, at Silas Wright House Feb. 16; Canton Goldenaires Singing Valentines Tuesday, Feb. 14 (call 386-2802 to arrange for one); the huge FFA garage and craft sale in the Banford Elementary School cafeteria and gym, and a children’s program on washing wool and making drop by the St. Lawrence County Historical Association at the Silas Wright House.

For more information, see our calendar of events page.