HARRISON — It wasn’t the snowfall Winter Fest organizers hoped for Tuesday night, but town Recreation Director Paula Holt said everything is still a go for this weekend’s annual Winter Fest.

The event, which is being expanded to two days this year, will be held at various locations throughout the town on Feb. 20 and 21, beginning with a buffet breakfast at 7:30 a.m. at the Congregational Church and ending Sunday night with a family fun night, potluck dinner and beano beginning at 5 p.m. at the church.

In between, there will be everything from fishing derbies, a cardboard sled contest, ice skating, snowshoeing, ice hockey and ice harvesting on Crystal Lake using draft horses.

“We’re in pretty good shape,” said Holt, who surveyed the various activity areas including Long Lake Crystal Lake Park and High View Farm on Wednesday morning to see how the lack of snow might effect events.

Holt said the only activities that will not happen are the sleigh rides and sledding on Hillcrest Farm. “There’s no snow on the hill,” she said.

But, she said, new events have been scheduled. Because of popular demand there will be a pickerel and bass fishing contest in the junior fishermen division, she said. This year, the fishing derby, which has prizes including new fishing rods, includes a junior fishing derby for children ages 1 through 16 for the first time.

The children will be given a free goody bag from Cabela’s, a bait bucket with bait. Small fishing holes will be dug at the head of Long Lake for participants.

Although the sleigh rides won’t take place, the new cardboard sled contest that was set for High View Farm has been moved to Town Hall. Judges will evaluate the cardboard sleds in the parking lot. People will build sleds out of cardboard and duct tape. Prizes will be awarded for the most creative, most compact and most aerodynamic looking.

Other new events added this year in addition to the junior fishing derby and cardboard sled contest include turkey bowling with real bowling pins that have been donated by Saco Lanes in Fryeburg.

Holt said the ice is about 18 inches thick on Long Lake and about a foot thick in Crystal Lake, making both venues perfect for the events. Because the section of Long Lake in Harrison is on a cove and nighttime temperatures go below freezing, Holt said she expects the ice to stay thick throughout the rest of the week, even if the temperatures remain in the mid 30s or low 40s.

Snow events will take place at Crystal Lake Park, where there was still about eight inches of snow Wednesday.

People are encouraged to visit the town office, which will be opened all day Saturday and Sunday, to view the outdoor sports information schedule, enjoy some refreshments and buy raffle tickets which will be on sale in the town office.

Winter Fest ’10 grew to two days this year after many out-of-town visitors told Holt they just couldn’t do everything that was available in one day.

The festival is being sponsored by the Harrison Recreation Department, local registered Maine Guides, Harrison Lions Club, Farmers Draft Horse, Mule and Pony Club, High View Farm and Northern Heights Farm. Additional the Harrison Friendly Riders Snowmobile Club, the Harrison Western Maine Fish and Game Club, United Parish Congregational Church of Harrison and North Bridgton and the Waterford World’s Fair Association are involved in the event.

[email protected]