Sunny skies, ice fishing, food, family and fun combined this weekend to make what organizers are calling a successful Maine WinterFest & Derby 2007.

“Everything – the crowds, events, and weather – was an overwhelming success,” said a tired event organizer Tom Noonan on Monday morning.

While much of the success could be measured by the smiles on fishermen’s faces as they reeled in hefty togue or kids’ faces as they rocketed down the enormous dragon slide at Point Sebago Resort, a sure sign that 2007 was a successful derby was the amount raised for charity: more than $150,000.

“We’re not yet able to determine the exact amount, but it’s safe to say it’s over $150,000. And the lion’s share of that goes to Camp Sunshine,” Noonan said.

Noonan said the other main beneficiary of the derby weekend is Maine Children’s Cancer Fund, which this year will receive $54,000 in designated money raised from Saturday’s well-attended Polar Ice Dip.

Noonan credited the weekend’s success to the efforts of the 30 Sebago Lake Rotary Club members and hundreds of volunteers, many derby volunteers.

“I bet you’ll see a lot of people with bent backs and halos in town this week. They were just incredible,” Noonan said.

The derby drew 1,450 entrants this year, Noonan said. Many fishermen set up shacks in the Jordan Bay area of Sebago Lake, which boasted 16 inches of solid ice. However, Big Bay saw open water due to windy weather the week before the derby. The open water forced the cancellation of Sunday’s snowmobile speed runs.

A new twist this year was the derby combining with Maine WinterFest, once based in Falmouth and famous for its artistic snow and ice sculptures. Dazzling displays of animals, vehicles, and nature scenes created by world-renowned snow and ice sculpture artists wowed the crowds Friday night through Sunday.

“All you had to do was walk through the (ice sculpture) tent to see how much people liked it,” Noonan said. “Kids fell in love with the dragon slide. We had kids on that constantly.”

Noonan said the Rotary Club’s goal is to expand the sculptures next year by securing a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Another change to this year’s derby was its move to Point Sebago Resort from Raymond Beach. Fan favorites such as the Polar Ice Dip, food midway, helicopter rides and ice car racing events were all held at Point Sebago Resort.

This year, Michael Hemingway of Turner, won first place in the derby by landing a 9.09-pound, 31-inch-long togue on Saturday. Jerry Parlin of Augusta took second place with an 8-pound, 11-ounce togue. Greg MacIntosh of Barrington, N.H., came in third place with his 7.34-pound, 27.5-inch long togue.

“I’m amazed. I didn’t know a 9.09 (pound fish) was going to win anything. I had no idea,” Hemingway said.

Hemingway was on the ice in Jordan Bay by 4:30 a.m. on Saturday. It was the only fish he caught. Not only did Hemingway win the boat for biggest fish, but he also won a door prize of a snowmobile, both of which he would later donate to a friend and Camp Sunshine.

At the awards ceremony held Sunday night at Camp Sunshine, the main beneficiary of the derby, Noonan said of the fish that propelled Hemingway to an unlikely double victory, “That’s a $15,000 fish he’s holding.”

Hemingway, who said he’s been fishing “pretty much my whole life,” was humble in victory.

“You know how to auger a hole and put the bait on, but it’s a whole lot of luck,” he said.