SEBAGO LAKE – Sebago Lake will be the place to celebrate snow and ice and break out of the winter rut Feb. 23, 24, and 25 at the First Annual Maine WinterFest & Derby.

Freeport’s WinterFest and Sebago Lake’s DerbyFest have merged to offer up activities to help to fight off cabin fever and to reconnect with friends and neighbors. That means races, ice fishing, snow and ice sculptures, food, entertainment and even swimming, all in the name of charity.

The family-friendly event will offer activities for all ages and prizes for contest winners.

The event presented by the Sebago Lake Rotary Club and the Maine Snow & Ice Sculpting Foundation raises funds for a variety of Maine charities, including Camp Sunshine and the Maine Children’s Cancer Program.

“For the price of a movie ticket, you can come to the festival, stay all day and be entertained. You can’t top it,” said Tom Noonan, co-director of Maine Winterfest & Derby. “Families can stay all day and have a blast.”

Some scheduled activities include the Hooked on Fishing tournament for kids 12 and younger Friday, Feb. 23, followed by the lighting of the dragon slide ice sculpture, a larger-than-life fire-breathing dragon with a slide for a back and tail. The Ice Racing event featuring competing cars and motorcycles starts under the lights at 6:30 p.m.

The state’s largest ice fishing tournament, the Togue Tourney, will be Feb. 24-25. Registration forms are available online and awards will be handed out on Sunday at Camp Sunshine.

There will also be ice-skating, dog sled rides, snowboard exhibitions and the 4th Annual Shaw’s Polar Ice Dip benefiting the Maine Children’s Cancer Program. The “So You Think You Can Dance” contest will be held at the Point Sebago Restaurant at 7 p.m.

Sunday’s festivities include the Sebago Lake Snowmobile Speedrun, the Sebago Lake Cross Country Ski Race and the Ice Shack Contest.

The Point Sebago Resort will be the central location for festivities. Cost of admission: $5 per day for adults, $1 per day for children under 12. Alternative transportation, such as snowmobiles, is recommended. For more information and a full schedule of events, contact Tom Noonan or Ed Jarrett at (888)ICE-FLAG, or visit www.icefishingderby.com or www.mainewinterfest.com.