Young kids learning how to cross country ski at last year's winter festival.--ALBERTA NEWSPAPER GROUP FILE PHOTO
Alberta Newspaper Group
While snowfalls looked bleak to begin the winter season, the annual Elkwater Winter Festival was never in doubt and flakes have been recently piling up, leaving organizers expecting a fun day.
The event, which offers free activities from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Elkwater on Saturday, initially started five years ago as a part of the kickoff to the Alberta Winter Games Legacy fund that was left from the Medicine Hat event.
“It’s just been great to get families out and playing in the snow,” said Connie Matson, winter festival chair.
“The look on the kids’ faces. The first time they’ve been out tobogganing, on a sleigh ride, the experience has been fantastic.”
The attendance has been consistently between 500 and 800 kids in the park, she added.
“It was all Medicine Hat people coming out to start with,” she said. “In the last few years, now we’re seeing the rural people come out. They are awesome supporters. They have all of sudden caught on.”
She said every year, the lack of snow has been a factor and it was no exception this year.
“(In) the first year the kids were tobogganing down the hill to a lake,” said Matson.
“They usually use machines making snow from the ski hill. This year we have a fair amount of snow out there. They’re packing it so it’s not melting.”
New activities this year are the chain carving demonstration and the Digital Star Light Lab at the learning centre are included in the day with horse drawn sleigh rides, cross-country ski lessons and snowshoeing.
A craft market will also take place at the Elkwater Community Hall with free face painting and popcorn, while a snowman building contest will commence at the Camp Cookhouse and General Store and cookie decorating at the 12-34 Cafe.
Lessons begin at 9:30 a.m. for free skiing and snowboarding lessons for beginners (Ages 12 and under) at Hidden Valley Ski Resort.
