Hundreds packed Saddleback Mountain on Friday to celebrate the 5th annual February Festival, marking the end of Maine’s school vacation week. The all-day event included live music, slopestyle skiing, fireworks and a torchlight parade on the mountain after dusk.

Vacation week brings crowds from across New England to the Rangeley area for skiing and recreation.

The topper for the evening was the torchlight parade, where guests and staff skied down Saddleback Mountain with bright red lights. At the end of the run, crowds cheered as the skiers regrouped at the lodge, and fireworks followed. 

Julia Natale, of Cumberland, brought her children to ski and relax. She said she prefers Saddleback due to shorter lines and a more laid-back feel compared to other Maine mountains.

“It’s just a nice offering for families, and it brings together the community,” Natale said. “With kids, we’re always looking for things to do, so it’s nice to get out here and be able to bring them for fireworks and have things to look forward to during the week.”

Rowan Wilson, the events coordinator at Saddleback, said that between partnerships with local businesses and the love that locals have for the mountain, it’s the community that makes the February Festival what it is.

“​​We wouldn’t be able to be here without the support we get from the community,” Wilson said.

Wilson noted how the torchlight parade brings together visitors and staff to create a beautiful display on the mountain, and looks forward to it continuing in the future.

“It takes a village,” Wilson said. “It would be great if 20 patrollers and a couple of employees came down with torches. But it’s a lot more of an event if you have that many people. This is a big draw for the community, and this is just a nice way to cap off that vacation week.”