SOMERSET COUNTY, Maine — Somerset SnowFest returns for its fifth year this Friday, Feb. 17. Main Street Skowhegan and Lake George Regional Park organize the ten-day event.
Kristina Cannon, executive director of Main Street Skowhegan, said it's a way to get people out of their homes during the cold winter months to have a little fun.
Cannon said whether you want to get in on the activities or just watch, there's something for everybody.
Some events include a kid's box sled race and a downhill kayak race this Saturday. On Sunday, there will be free horse-drawn sleigh rides and an ice fishing derby, which aligns perfectly with "Free Fishing Weekend," meaning you don't need a license.
Cannon said this event also helps support local businesses.
"SnowFest is our way of bringing people to Skowhegan to spend money at our locally-owned businesses during a slow time of year, so it's a really important event for our community and people get excited about it. We actually have some businesses that are looking forward to participating including our new wine bar that's planning to host an outdoor ice bar, so that should be fun also," Cannon explained.
Coming up on Feb. 25 is one of the main events, Skijor Skowhegan at the fairgrounds.
Skijoring is a sport in which skiers and snowboarders are pulled by horses and riders through a course of gates and jumps. Cannon said there are already more than 50 teams signed up to compete for cash prizes.
There will also be several food trucks and a beer garden hosted by Baxter Brewing Company.
"You never know what you're going to see, there's always some sort of entertainment value in watching people as they race on skis with horses. So some people you know hit a jump and will do a spread eagle... my husband actually fell pretty hard last year and has since retired from the sport, so there's some good entertainment value," Cannon joked.
Cannon added whether you're a novice or a pro, there are still some spots open if you're interested in signing up to skijor on the 25th. She said there are a number of spots open in some of the other activities and competitions going on throughout the week as well.
For a full schedule of Somerset SnowFest events, click here.