Great View
Emilia Pulver, 2, of Burrillville had a great view of the festivities. More photos on page 4 and additional photos on our FB page on Wed. night: Putnam Town Crier & Northeast Ledger. Linda Lemmon photo.

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By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — At the 12th annual Fire and Ice extravaganza Feb. 11, in downtown Putnam, it was a mob scene — in a good way. Mobbed with ice carvings, mobbed with a record number of cake decorating contest entries, mobbed with food and drink and games — and definitely mobbed with visitors. Parking spots were hard to come by — even halfway toward the highway on Kennedy Drive.
Rawson Manufacturing’s heart-shaped fire pit, next to the Gertrude Warner boxcar museum, was at least four deep with visitors.
Officials estimated more than 15,000 visitors came for the event which was sponsored by the Town of Putnam and the Putnam Business Association, and others.
Ice-Carving Contest Winners:Amateur: 3rd — Baye Lo on Main St. Gelatos block; 2nd — Aurora Deojay on Bear Hands Brewing; 1st  — Phil Mason, owner of ServiceMaster by Mason on his own block. Group: 3rd — QVCC in their own block led by Jesse Fultz; 2nd — Brittni Laquidara  and Simone Germain on a block sponsored by NorthStar Home Loans; 1st — Jon Conway and Ernie D’Elia at Wonderland Comics. Pro: 3rd —Josh Deojay,  also on another sponsored block by Bear Hands Brewing; 2nd — Arrik Kim on Silver Circe And Sawmill Pottery Block; 1st — Rena Mason on Luxe & Nature/M’s Boutique Block.
Cake Contest Winners: Home/novice judge’s taste winner: Beth Rondeau; Professional judge’s taste winner:  Jonathan Salvas; Student judge’s taste winner: Alec Rawson (Ellis Tech); People’s Choice Winner: Tessa Haelsen (the tea pot cake) There were a record 43 entries)

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