As Cy and the crowd began to sing “Frosty the Snowman,” snow started falling on this year’s Winter Festival.

The snow, however, didn’t keep people from joining GSB President Angela Groh, ISU President Gregory Geoffroy and Ames Mayor Ted Tedesco in front of Curtiss Hall for the welcome and illumination of the lights located all over campus.

“Tonight, I am excited to take part in Winter Fest, as we’ll have the opportunity to be together as a community, celebrate the holidays and celebrate our beautiful campus here at Iowa State University,” Groh said as she welcomed everyone to the Winter Festival on Wednesday.

Geoffroy echoed her sentiments.

“I want to thank our students at Iowa State University for picking up this great tradition and continuing it,” he said. Music rang out over campus from the bells of the Campanile, and the luminaries, provided by Freshman Council, were lit and placed on the main paths of Central Campus.

ISU Dance Marathon organizers Cory Hanson, senior in marketing, and Annon Woodin, junior in early childhood education, helped introduce the guest illuminators, Iowa State Dance Marathon children Timothy Weber and Jack Henry, of Ames.

Weber, 4, was born prematurely at 29 weeks, and Henry, 6, has cystic fibrosis. Both children will benefit from the funds raised at Dance Marathon, which will be held Jan. 21.

Tours of the Campanile were also offered.

Karen Bodach, graduate student in civil, construction and environmental engineering, took a tour with her boyfriend after the illumination ceremony.

“We will be graduating soon and didn’t want to miss our last Winter Fest,” Bodach said.

Bodach said her favorite part of the festival is taking a Campanile tour and having hot chocolate.

Kathryn Schnurr, graduate assistant in education leadership and policy studies, said Winter Festival could benefit from displaying winter traditions from many cultures around the world.

“I would like to see more input on how to include more culturally diverse traditions into the festival,” she said.

Schnurr said she enjoyed the Global State Performances, held in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union.

She said she loves that the festival has become more culturally diverse.

Geoffroy said he is pleased with the way the festival has evolved over the years.

“What originally started as a festival pretty much for a single religion has changed, evolved, grown, to really be a celebration of this great time of year for everyone. No matter what religion or particular persuasion, this is a very special time of the year,” Geoffroy said.

Farm House Museum volunteers said the museum did not see as many people as it would have liked, with only 125 visitors stopping in. Amanda Hall, education assistant for University Museums, helped visitors at the museum.

“Tonight has put me in the holiday spirit,” she said.

“I enjoyed the piano music, the decorations, the visitors, and the snowfall.”