SKOWHEGAN — Kayaks and kiddie pools, it turns out, work well as sleds.

A laundry basket — not so much.

That was the lesson learned among competitors in the “Anything But a Sled” downhill race Saturday at the west side of Lake George Regional Park, one of several activities going on as part of the first day of Somerset SnowFest.

Keith Fox, 71, of Dexter, was among two intrepid kayakers who “paddled” down the hill in the race. The Navy veteran said he participated two years ago and came back this year with a different boat.

“I had two runs today — and that’s it,” Fox said with a laugh, as he caught his breath.

Nova Abelin, 32, of Skowhegan, fared well, too, using a small circular plastic pool. 

“My husband gets all the credit for this one,” Abelin said.

Hundreds of people participated in the SnowFest outdoor activities Saturday at Lake George Regional Park, which straddles Skowhegan and Canaan.

Among the other popular events Saturday was the fifth annual Ice Hole “World Championship,” which had dozens of competitors. The game is like cornhole, but players toss pucks into two shallow holes in the ice 33 feet apart.

“It’s still catching on,” Lake George director Darryll White said, “but there’s a good local contingent.”

A long-running annual winter carnival at Lake George grew into Somerset SnowFest as the local economic revitalization nonprofit Main Street Skowhegan began hosting Skijor Skowhegan in 2019. The two organizations have now joined forces to coordinate the winter event, which coincides with school vacation week.

“It’s a very important fundraiser for both groups,” said White, who started his day at the lake at 4 a.m. to set up for the fishing derby.

This year’s lineup of things to do included a few changes, like moving the ice fishing derby to Saturday to line up with the other activities at the park. Volunteers also cleared a second area of the ice for pond hockey, in addition to skating in another area. Skowhegan Outdoors, a program of Main Street Skowhegan, had skates available for people to borrow.

Other scheduled events this week include family fun and carriage rides Wednesday at Coburn Park and a cross-country skiing trip Thursday with Skowhegan Outdoors and Maine Huts and Trails.

The festivities around Skijor Skowhegan — a competition featuring the Scandinavian sport in which a horse and rider pull a skier or snowboarder down a groomed track of jumps, gates and other obstacles — begin Friday with a party at the Old Mill Pub at 39 Water St., an “ice bar” at Unwined at 151 Water St. and live music at The Biergarten at 7 Island Ave.

Volunteers are also needed Friday to set up for Saturday’s competition at the Skowhegan State Fairgrounds.

The skijoring event runs 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the fairgrounds. In years past, it has consistently drawn thousands of spectators. Parking is $20 per vehicle.

A full schedule of SnowFest activities is online at somersetsnowfest.org/2026-schedule.

There’s plenty of snow on the ground in Skowhegan, but the season’s cold grip on the region will soon let up, at least in the short term.

Temperatures are forecasted to warm up moderately across Maine this week, according to the latest update Saturday morning from the National Weather Service regional office in Gray.

Mild daytime temperatures expected over the weekend were just about average, with an increase perhaps into the 40s expected Monday, Tuesday and later in the week, forecasters said. Snow showers are possible Sunday night.