AUBURN — The city will kick off its 11th annual winter celebration Friday night with discounted Lost Valley lift tickets, live music and a pond hockey tournament at Walton Field.
The event shifts into high gear Saturday, with events at the ski area, Walton Field, the Auburn Public Library and public skating at Ingersol Arena.
It continues next weekend, with more events and more places.
This year’s Lost Valley events include shovel races, downhill mountain bike races, relays and more traditional slalom downhill races. There will be kids’ sled races, obstacle courses, bonfires, food and live music throughout.
Organizers have added rides in the ski area’s grooming machines as another attraction.
The festival’s signature event, the Really Ridiculous Relay Race, pits teams of six in a race up and down the ski hill. First, a human dog sled team must carry passengers 75 yards to the lodge entrance. Then, a member races uphill another 75 yards in snowshoes. Finally, two members race downhill in a canoe.
That race is scheduled to kick off at 10 a.m. Feb. 5.
Not all of the events are at the ski area. The Perkins Ridge Snow Travelers will be hosting cross country and snowshoeing trail tours from 1 to 4 p.m. Jan. 30 around Lake Auburn. Parking and a warming hut will be at Sticks and Stones, at 185 North Auburn Road.
Andy Valley Sno Gypsies snowmobile club will host a pair of events at Mt. Apatite Park, starting with an open house showcasing the club’s machines at 10 a.m. and a ride up the mountain at 1 p.m.
Healthy Smiles for ME will host an ice fishing derby beginning at 8 a.m. Feb. 5 on Taylor Pond.
The Auburn Public Library will host movies and reading events during the festival and the Ingersol Arena will be host public skating at times as well.
Auburn Winter Festival Schedule of Events
Events are free unless stated otherwise.
Friday, Jan. 28
* Pond Hockey 3 on 3 tournament, 4-9 p.m., Walton Field, preregistration required.
* $15 lift tickets, 5-9 p.m. at Lost Valley.
* Classic Rock with The Distributors, 8 p.m. at Lost Valley.
Saturday, Jan. 29
* Pond Hockey 3 on 3 tournament 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Walton Field, preregistration required.
* $20 lift tickets 9 a.m. to 5 p.m at Lost Valley.
* Ice Sculpture Demo, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Lost Valley.
* Andy Valley Sno Gypsies open house, 10 a.m. to noon at Mt. Apatite.
* Snowshoeing, 10 a.m. to noon at Mt. Apatite.
* Childen’s crafts, activities, face painting, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Lost Valley.
* Snow rafting rides for $2 each or three rides for $5, noon to 4 p.m. at Lost Valley.
* Andy Valley Sno Gypsies sponsored ride, 1 p.m. at Mt. Apatite.
* Movie “Snowbuddies,” 1-3 p.m. at Auburn Public Library.
* Alpine Race training, 1-3 p.m. Lost Valley.
* Frisbee snow toss, 2-3 p.m. at Lost Valley, $2 entry fee.
* Public skating, 4-6 p.m. at Ingersol Arena, $4 students; $3 seniors
* $12 lift tickets, 5-9 p.m. Lost Valley. Come meet the Lewiston Maineiacs in person.
* Big air competitions, 6-7 p.m at Lost Valley. Registration closes at 4 p.m.
* Music with the Blues Band, 7 p.m. at Lost Valley.
* Public skating, bonfire, hot chocolate and coffee, 6-8 p.m. at Walton Field.
Sunday, Jan. 30
* Groomer rides, 8:30-10 a.m. at Lost Valley.
* Snow rafting rides for $2 each or three rides for $5, noon to 4 p.m. at Lost Valley.
* Pond Hockey 3 on 3 finals noon to 4 p.m., Walton Field.
* Maine Ski challenge giant slalom races 1-3 p.m. at Lost Valley. $4 registration.
* Cross country skiing and snowshoeing Lake Auburn, 1-4 p.m. Parking, warming fire and hot chocolate at Sticks and Stones, 185 N. Auburn Road.
* Public skating, 4-6 p.m. at Ingersol Arena, $4 students; $3 seniors
Monday, Jan. 31
* $18 lift ticket at Lost Valley with a current ticket from another ski area, 2:30-8 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 1
* Fifty-cent movie “Lost Horizons” 2 p.m. at Auburn Public Library.
* Buy one lift ticket, get one free at Lost Valley, 2:30-8 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 2
* Buy one lift ticket, get one free at Lost Valley, 2:30-8 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 3
* Bag lunch discussion: Winter in Maine before the Electric Age, noon at the Auburn Public Library.
Friday, Feb. 4
* Winter stories, hot chocolate and crafts, 10-11 a.m. at the Auburn Public Library.
* Triple Crown ski race, registration 3:30 p.m., race at 5 p.m. at Lost Valley.
* Bonfire and sledding, snowmobile/groomer rides, hot chocolate and s’mores, 5-8 p.m. at Lost Valley.
* Rock with Under the Covers, 8 p.m. at Lost Valley
Saturday, Feb. 5
* Taylor Pond ice fishing derby, 8 a.m to 3 p.m., Taylor Pond
* $21 lift ticket at Lost Valley in honor of the area’s 50th anniversary, 2:30-8 p.m.
* Public skating, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., snowshoe walk, 10 a.m. to noon, snowplayground, 10 a.m. to dusk, Walton Field.
* Music by Nick Knowlton, 10 a.m. to close at Lost Valley.
* Really Ridiculous Relay race, 10-11:30 a.m. at Lost Valley.
* Children’s crafts, activities, face painting, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Lost Valley.
*Snow rafting rides for $2 each or three rides for $5, noon to 4 p.m. at Lost Valley.
* Figures of Speech student performances, 1-2 p.m. at the Auburn Public Library.
* Jib Jam Competition, 1-3 p.m. at Lost Valley.
* Children’s snow obstacle, 1-2 p.m. at Lost Valley.
* Shovel Races, 2-3 p.m. at Lost Valley.
* Alpine race training, 1-5 p.m. at Lost Valley.
* Public skating, bonfire, hot chocolate and coffee, 2-4 p.m. at Walton Field.
* Public skating, 4-6 p.m. at Ingersol Arena, $4 students; $3 seniors
* Bonfire and sledding, hot chocolate and s’mores, 5-8 p.m. at Lost Valley.
* $10 lift tickets at Lost Valley.
* Rock with Under the Covers, 8 p.m. at Lost Valley
* Maineiacs musical chairs, 8:30 p.m. at Lost Valley.
Sunday, Feb. 5
* Public skating, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. at Walton Field.
* $21 lift ticket at Lost Valley in honor of the area’s 50th anniversary, 2:30-8 p.m.
* Music by Nick Knowlton, 9 a.m. to close at Lost Valley.
* Downhill Mountain bike race, 9-11 a.m. at Lost Valley.
* Avalanche of mountain bikes, 11 a.m. at Lost Valley.
* Snowshoe races, noon (registration begins at 11 a.m.) at Lost Valley.
* Snow rafting rides for $2 each or three rides for $5, noon to 4 p.m. at Lost Valley.
* Slope-side barbecue, noon to 3 p.m. at Lost Valley.
* Maine Ski Challenge slalom race, 1-4 p.m. at Lost Valley, $4 registration.
* Public skating, 4 to 6 p.m. at Ingersol Arena.
* Public skating, bonfire, hot chocolate, 2-4 p.m. at Walton Field.
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- Tim Cavanagh, left, of Sabattus helps his daughter Madison, 6, toast a marshmallow as his son Owen, 8, far right, pulls his marshmallow back when it catches on fire. Cavanagh’s wife, Megan, is in the middle in a brown jacket. The family was taking part in one of the Auburn Winter Festival activities at Lost Valley Ski Area in Auburn last year. The 2011 festival kicks off Jan. 28.
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