RANGELEY — With plenty of snow and a flawless weather forecast, this year’s 28th Rangeley Lakes Snowmobile Club is prepared for snowmobilers coming to town for fast-paced competition and family fun.

Snodeo weekend is the club’s largest fundraiser, according to events committee Chairman Jonny Wakefield.

“We do a lot of work to organize this weekend, and we couldn’t do it without many, many hours from our volunteers,” Wakefield said.

Most events are hosted by the snowmobile club, but area organizations and individuals offer a lot of additional support, he said. The Thursday kickoff will start at 5:30 p.m., with the Chamber of Commerce’s Chili & Chowder Cook-Off at the Gingerbread House in Oquossoc. Casino Night will start at 7 p.m. at Bald Mountain Camps, offering light hors d’oeuvres, beverages and time to socialize.

“Thursday’s Casino Night and the Friday auction are both hugely popular events, so I advise folks to get there early,” Wakefield said. “We usually have standing room only pretty early in the evening.”

Friday’s activities include vendors’ snowmobile demo rides with the newest sleds and equipment. The evening features a welcome party and auction at Moose Alley, from 4 from 9 p.m. All proceeds from the auction go directly to the grooming operations for the Rangeley Lakes Snowmobile Club, Wakefield said.

For those looking for musical entertainment, the band Sparks the Rescue will perform for a $5 cover charge for ages 21 and older Friday and Saturday nights.

On Saturday, the high-octane Rock Maple Racing cross-country and Pro-Vintage competitions will start at the Steven A. Bean Municipal Airport. Registration starts at 6:30 a.m., and gates open at 8 a.m. One-day tickets are $10, weekend tickets are $15 and those ages 10 and under attend for free.

The competition radar runs on Haley Pond from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. always draw big crowds, but those looking for less action can enjoy a marshmallow roast by the pond gazebo. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., children are invited to make gingerbread men at the Gingerbread House in Oquossoc.

At 2 p.m., the Rave X professional stunt riders will perform high-speed runs and aerial somersaults up a 30-foot snow mountain in the middle of town.

On Saturday evening, Monty Moose will lead the 6 p.m. parade from the Rangeley Inn & Tavern, with sledders riding down Main Street to the lakeside park for a fireworks display.

The snowmobile club also is raising money by selling 500 tickets at local outlets or online at www.rangeleysnowmobileclub.com. The top prize will be a 2017 Ski-Doo Renegade Adrenaline 600 H.O. E-Tec, donated by Boss Power Equipment. The drawing for the Ski-Doo and seven additional prizes will be in late March, or earlier, if all tickets are sold before then.

Nearly all of the local lodging is booked to capacity, according to April Moreau at the Rangeley Inn & Tavern. She said that is a welcome boost for the area economy, because Snodeo weekend and next weekend’s Tri-State reciprocal are geared for snowmobilers who will be traveling from the country’s northeastern region and Canada for outdoor fun. Small-town business owners stick together, so everyone can benefit, she said.

“We all check with each other for room availability, because we want everyone to find a place to stay,” she said. “We’re even starting to fill up fast for the weekend starting on the 27th.”