Friends of the Broadway Theatre, Inc. was awarded $100-thousand over 2 years to expand and diversify Winterruption which is held annually in January, and the results are about 3-thousand people attending the outdoor events on the Friday and Saturday and over 5-thousand taking in the indoor shows January 22nd to 26th.

The federal tourism funding went to increasing staff hours, helping with artist fees and costs and adding videography and photography.

Executive Director Kirby Wirchenko says most of our festivals are in the summer, but he believes winter is prime time.

Wirchenko explains that after the Christmas events there is a lull until mid-February and that’s why they began planning Winterruption.

Five years ago when the first Winterruption was held, many people said it was the worst time to hold a festival and when outdoor events were added, many people again shook their heads, but the event has proven the naysayers wrong.

He adds that they have been lucky with the weather, with seasonable temperatures each year.

It was close this year with -50 degree temperatures the week before the event and then it warmed up to just below zero temperatures the week of Winterruption.