Back for its second year, the Kenai Freeze-Up Classic raffle put on by the Soldotna and Kenai Rotary Clubs gives folks a chance to win a big cash prize by guessing whether the Kenai River will be frozen on Feb. 15, 2025. Ticket sales got underway on Aug. 10, 2024, and will continue until Jan. 31, 2025.
Tickets are just $5.00, and purchasers can choose whether to buy a “Freeze” or a “No Freeze” ticket. The ice will be checked during the 2025 Frozen River Festival.
“We just are really happy to be able to collect a little money for our community and continue to help improve the lives of everyone here with a fun little raffle,” said Rotary Club of Soldotna President Brian Erwin.
On Feb. 15, 2025, Central Emergency Services will measure the ice north of the River Raven Sanctuary Lodge dock, no closer than 25ft and no further than 125ft from shore/ordinary high water. A “frozen” river will be determined by CES if they say the ice is safe enough to deploy the tripod.
If the river is determined frozen, a grand prize winner of 50% of the proceeds will be drawn from all of the “Freeze” ticket stubs. Likewise, if the river is determined not frozen, a winner will be drawn from all of the “No Freeze” ticket stubs.
The Freeze-Up Classic is similar to the Nenana Ice Classic, a guessing game that passed its 100th year in 2017.
The annual event in Nenana began in 1917 when a group of railroad engineers created an $800 pool, betting when the ice on the Nenana River would break up. For the last 107 years, the guessing game has become a yearly opportunity for some lucky people to cash in on a big payout. In 2024, the Nenana Ice Classic jackpot was $210,155.
There are currently 5,000 tickets printed for the Kenai Freeze-Up Classic, but the Rotary Clubs reserve the right to print and sell more tickets if needed. All proceeds from the lottery will go to Soldotna/Kenai Rotary projects.
You must be 18 years old to buy a ticket. Tickets can be purchased by contacting a Kenai Rotary Club or Soldotna Rotary Club member, using Facebook Messenger, or calling 907-740-3501.
