CARRABASSETT VALLEY – The 39th annual Special Olympics Maine Winter Games will kick off with tonight’s community supper, followed by a full schedule of Nordic and Alpine skiing, skating and snowshoe competitions at Sugarloaf/USA on Monday and Tuesday.

Organizers estimate 500 Special Olympics athletes will compete in the three-day event, which includes a parade of champions immediately after Monday’s opening ceremony at noon, attended by Miss Teen Maine.

Training and time trials for ski disciplines will be held from 1 to 3:30 p.m. on Monday, with giant slalom finals at 2:30 p.m.

The 400-meter snowshoe run will be held at 3:15 p.m., with the 3-by-1K relay at 3:30 p.m. at the resort’s Outdoor Center.

Also on Monday, a torchlight parade will begin at 7 p.m. in front of the base lodge at the mountain, followed by a fireworks display minutes later.

Athletes will stay at Sugarloaf in resort condominiums and will be able to take Snow Cat rides to experience part of the resort operations.

Special Olympics’ mission, according to organizers, is to provide year-round “sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.” The training is designed to help develop fitness and courage through participation in individual and team sports.

Each of the past two years, 500 athletes from 85 Maine communities participated in the events. The effort draws 800 coaches, chaperones, friends and family members, in addition to between 500 and 600 volunteers.

Other Special Olympics events scheduled this year include the State Swim Meet at Bates College on April 17, the State Summer Games at the University of Maine in Orono June 5-7, a nine-hole golf tournament at Martindale Country Club in Auburn on Sept. 19 and soccer tournaments in Old Town and Gorham in October.

For a full schedule of weekend and other events, go to: www.specialolympicsmaine.com.