The latest news about Maine lakes and ponds.

Auburn Winter Festival Officials Hope for More Snow

January 22, 2012 - Auburn — Thursday night's snow might have eased some worries for organizers of the city's annual Winter Festival but a few more storms would help a lot more.

"If we get another 6 to 8 inches, I think we'd be in good shape," said Ravi Sharma, Auburn recreation director. "We wouldn't have to worry about warm weather or rain or any of that. Especially for snowmobiling, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, a little more snow always helps."

It will be the 12th year the city hosts the annual celebration, scheduled this year over two weekends bridging January and February. It will kick off Jan. 27 with hockey tournaments and skiing deals at Lost Valley. It will wind up Feb. 5 with a Super Bowl celebration, mountain bike races and public skating.

Other events throughout the week include ski races, snowboarding demonstrations and freestyle contests, snowmobiling demonstrations, snowshoeing tours, food, bonfires and music.

Events will be hosted at Lost Valley Ski Area, Walton Elementary School in New Auburn, the Auburn Public Library and Ingersoll Arena.

Kickoff events will include the three-on-three pond hockey tournament, sponsored this year by Tim Hortons. The tournament will continue through Jan. 29, with the finals scheduled for noon.

The annual ice sculpture demonstration has been moved to the second weekend, beginning Feb. 4. Sharma said sculptors would make three carvings.

"In the past, they've had themes," Sharma said. "They've made sculptures that had to do with nature or with animals. This year, we don't have a theme. It's going to be a surprise."

This year's schedule also includes an event in Lewiston — a moonlight snowshoe walk in Kennedy Park led by the Androscoggin Land Trust.

This year's festival skips one of the main events from years past, the Ridiculous Relay, which featured racers relaying up and down the mountain in dog sleds, snowshoes and canoes. It was a mainstay of the festival for years, but Sharma said interest recently has been lacking.

"I know we had teams getting involved early on, but there just wasn't interest last year," Sharma said. Last year's race featured two teams.

"So it was over very quickly," he said. "For all the work and the preparation that goes into getting ready for that particular race, we decided to skip it this time."

Scott Taylor, Sun Journal, January 2012


Lakes:
Regions: Belgrade


Print this story

Email this story

return to Lake News