Winter Festivals
Snowy shenanigans you’ll love
By Fiona Cohen
Photo at right: Extreme Ice, 2013 Multiblock Classic by Qi Feng An and Di An, Julio Martinez and Aubrey Newton. Photo by Rhonda Y Konicki
I don’t know if it’s the sunlight deprivation or cabin fever, or if it’s a byproduct of the joys of frolicking in the snow, but there’s something about winter that inspires Northwesterners to cast off their reserve and discover their zany sides. And when people get together for winter festivals, that extra silliness has a tendency to emerge.
Here is a roundup of winter events from around the region. Some are quite serious, and some are completely given over to hilarity.
Pray for Snow
Nov. 13
Seattle, Wash.
An epic night of friends, raffles, free stuff and celebratory beverages are in store at Alpine Hut’s Pray for Snow Party. This annual event produced by one of Seattle’s top ski retailers, takes place at the Red Door in Seattle’s Fremont district.
Zany factor: Carefree delight. This Seattle favorite has a light atmosphere and benefits the Outdoors for All Foundation.
www.alpinehut.com
Yellowstone Ski Festival
Nov. 26-30
West Yellowstone, Mont.
Cross-country skiers from around the world show up by the thousands in West Yellowstone to race, socialize, take clinics and enjoy the Rendezvous Ski Trails.
Zany factor: Serious fun. Spectators and athletes alike enjoy the annual biathlon.
www.yellowstoneskifestival.com
Sun Peaks Winter Okanagan Wine Festival
Jan. 11-19
Sun Peaks, B.C.
Wine enthusiasts rejoice! Sun Peaks hosts its 16th annual wine festival. The revelry will include a unique showcase of skiing, snowboarding, Nordic skiing, snowshoeing and other outdoor recreation liberally blended with wines of the Okanagan.
Zany factor: Classy shenanigans. Of the festival’s 19 events, wine and snow enthusiasts can enjoy workshops on wine blending, savor regional cuisine and play in the snow.
www.sunpeaksresort.com/events-and-festivals
Polar Bear Jump-Off
Jan. 18
Seward, Alaska
This American Cancer Society fundraiser in Seward, Alaska, (population 3,000 or so) regularly makes it onto lists of the world’s most off-beat winter festivals.
Zany factor: Profoundly loopy. It centers on a costumed swim in the icy waters of Resurrection Bay, with side events such as turkey bowling (instead of a ball, players use a frozen turkey) and the ugly fish toss.
www.community.acsevents.org/polarbear
Bavarian Ice Fest
Jan. 18-19
Leavenworth, Wash.
This two-day celebration of all things wintry and German includes ice sculptures, dogsled rides, a rail jam, tug of war and fireworks.
Zany factor: Fairly goofy. Among the events: a Bavarian Mug Relay, in which teams of two scale an obstacle course while carrying large mugs of ice cubes, and the Smooshing Race, which involves teams of four people, strapped to pairs of two-by-fours making their way down the town’s Front Street.
www.leavenworth.org
Rossland Winter Carnival
Jan. 23-26
Rossland, B.C.
Founded in 1897 by Olaus Jeldness, a Norway-born mining engineer credited with bringing competitive skiing to Canada, the Winter Carnival features a variety of methods of going downhill fast.
Zany factor: Decidedly wacky. The most famous event is a street bobsled race in which the teams have constructed their own four-passenger sleds. Because nothing says “safety” like the words “homemade bobsled.”
www.rosslandwintercarnival.com
Whitefish Winter Carnival
Feb. 7-9
Whitefish, Mont.
A lively weekend featuring a polar bear swim, cross country ski race, hockey tournament, torchlight ski parade, ice sculpture competition and the World Ski Joring Championship. Ski joring is a team sport in which a horseback rider tows a skier.
Zany factor: Exuberantly absurd. Every weekend, the town ceremonially crowns Snow God Ullr and the Snow Queen. Then Yetis try to kidnap the queen, and play pranks over the course of the weekend. This year, there’s a Las Vegas theme. “What happens in Whitefish follows you home.”
www.whitefishwintercarnival.com
Sandpoint Winter Carnival
Feb. 14-23
Sandpoint, Idaho
It’s Schweitzer Mountain Resort’s 50th anniversary and the whole town will be partying in a week-long extravaganza of community events.
Zany factor: High-spirited fun. The ski-joring competition and dodgeball championship are just the beginning.
www.sandpointwintercarnival.com/events
Kootenay Coldsmoke Powder Fest
Feb. 21-23
Nelson, B.C.
Backcountry is the obsession of this three-day series of races and clinics at Whitewater Resort, catering to alpine skiers, telemark skiers, ski mountaineers and snowboarders.
Zany factor: Powder-fueled glee. Powder enthusiasts will have a blast celebrating, competing and popping in for a clinic or two.
www.coldsmokepowderfest.com
Fur Rondy
Feb. 21-March 2
Anchorage, Alaska
The ceremonial start of the 40th annual Iditarod – a 1,150-mile dog sled journey through some of the world’s harshest terrain – begins in downtown Anchorage during this festival.
Zany factor: Excitement galore. Among the sillier features of the Fur Rondy are the world’s largest outhouse races.
www.furrondy.net
BP World Ice Art Championships
Feb. 24-March 30
Fairbanks, Alaska
This competition features the work of more than 70 teams from around the world. Organizers report more than 45,000 visitors traipsing around the sculptures, which is remarkable, given that the population of Fairbanks is only around 32,000 people.
Zany factor: Creativity unleashed. Among last year’s ice sculptures were: gods, athletes, assorted sea creatures and a giant banana dancing with a giant carrot.
www.icealaska.com
White Pass Winter Carnival
March 1-2
White Pass, Wash.
Two days before the event starts, crews build a giant snow castle in the base area. Folks can explore its turrets and crenellations in between snow races and games benefitting the Children’s Miracle Network and White Pass’s volunteer ski patrol.
Zany factor: Definitely whimsical. After exploring the snow castle, stick around for fireworks to complete the experience.
www.skiwhitepass.com
World Ski and Snowboard Festival
April 11-20
Whistler, B.C.
This glorious festival lasts for 10 days. That’s 10 days of ski and snowboard competitions, music and arts, a notoriously unique big brand fashion show and a dog parade. Whistler goes all out to end the winter sports season.
Zany factor: Non-stop boogying. Free concerts and a lively nightlife will keep snow enthusiasts stomping to the beat.
www.whistler.com/wssf
