Mendota Freeze Contest

Every winter, the Mendota Freeze Contest calls attention to the year-round importance of our lakes on our local quality of life. In our 16th annual contest, weather watchers and ice experts of all ages will be asked to guess the official ice-on date for Lake Mendota. People who guess the correct date will be entered to win a gift card to an area business.

The 2026-2027 Mendota Freeze Contest will open on Sunday, December 15, 2026.

Only one guess per individual. Multiple entries will be automatically disqualified. Official rules and regulations can be found here.

The Mendota Freeze Contest will begin at 7 a.m. Sunday, November 15, 2026. Come back then to submit your guess!

Contest entries will be accepted through 11:59 p.m. Central Time on Tuesday, December 15, 2026.