Portage Lake Yacht Club in Dexter Township held its first Winter Wonders festival Saturday and Sunday featuring demonstrations in ice fishing, cross country skiing, and other outdoor sports.

"My whole purpose is to get all ages outdoors for an educational experience," Alan Heavner, owner of Heavner Canoe Rental, and event co-sponsor said.

He brought a team to the yacht club to demonstrate how to use snowshoes, ice fishing tips, and to set up camp as a trapper.

Heavner said he has been interested in partnering with the yacht club and was looking for more ways to bring outdoor activities to the area.

"My dream is to look outside and see kids outside," he said.

About 25 families, including some from Dexter, attended the event. Those that attended the festival said that they enjoyed the experience.

Stacey Stocks of Eastpointe said she especially liked learning how to use snowshoes to walk on the frozen Portage Lake.

"You get a whole different perspective. It's peaceful and still. It's not like rocking in a boat," she said.

Dexter resident Melinda Kaus said her daughter enjoyed watching a demonstration on a 1700s animal trapper who set up an accurate camp, complete with fire, flintlock rifle, furs and authentic snowshoes, which he demonstrated.

Maureen Sharp, event coordinator for the yacht club, said that the event was partially planned to showcase the facility.

"A lot of people who know about the yacht club think that they can't come in (unless they are members), but we're open to everyone," she said.

Non-members can dine in the restaurant, and there are only a few events during the year when only members are allowed, such as Fourth of July, when the club puts on its own fireworks display. Social memberships cost $50 per year, she said. Full memberships are $825 per year, and limited memberships are $530 per year.

Sharp said that she would like to see the winter event become an annual occurrence.

Madison Pinkerton of Pinckney said she liked coming out to ice fish on Portage Lake, where her mother, Angela, had set up her ice shanty, complete with a stove to keep it warm.

"It was fun," she said, adding that she had started a fishing program at Country Elementary in Pinckney. "I like to go out on the lake ice fishing."

Angela Pinkerton said she thought the event was a great idea.

"Anytime you can get kids out and get them in nature, like the sport of fishing, is a good thing," she said.