Alton Winter Festival

[upthesaukee]

This year the Alton Winter Festival is to be held on Saturday February 19th. Please note the day change from the past (Sunday to Saturday).

Hopefully the change of day will make it easier on those who have a longer round trip and may not want to do it on a Sunday.

Events will include the annual aircraft Fly-in, the Great Alton Bay Bed Race, Family Scavenger Hunt, Snow Shoe Walk, Cross Country Ski Trek, DJ music, the Mt. Major Snowmobile Radar Run and more.

For more information or questions, contact Alton Parks and Recreations at 603-875-2715 or the website at http://alton.nh.gov/ParksRec.asp

For additional info on the Snowmobile Radar Run, contact the Mt Major Snowmobile Club via their website: http://www.mountmajorsnowmobileclub.com/

Dress in layers, top layer should be a big smile , and come join the fun. Hope to see you there.

[ghfromaltonbay]

The change from Sunday to Saturday doesn't help those of us who have Monday off for Presidents' Day and therefore drive up on Saturday and go home on Monday. Oh well, I guess this year we will have to depend on the pictures taken by you and Island Girl. With a nearly 6hour drive, we'd have to leave before dawn to make it for this year's festivities.

[Mee-n-Mac]

Does anyone know what are the requirements for the Great Bed Race ? The website is not specific on who can enter (? how about a Winni.com entry ?), what the tech req's are (min bed size/weight, number of mushers, etc) or even time of race.

[upthesaukee]

Mee-n-Mac: there doesn't really seem to be any real "technical specifications" for the sleds, nor is there a limit min/max of "mushers" "pushers" (don't go there folks), or what ever term you want to apply to the human powered propulsion units (HPP's). The festival is currently "from 1Pm to 3Pm" and the bed race traditionally is the "grand finale" of the Parks and Recs, thus usually runs at the end. The "Main Street" will have more info at the end of this month, and I will update the post and the Forum Calendar at that time. In the meantime, please feel free to email Kellie at parksrec@alton.nh.gov and she will be glad to give you any other info available at this time. What is important here is the creativity...It is amazing to see how beds on skis can evolve in so many different directions. Winning is not the biggest thing (it's the only thing ) Hey how did that get in there!!!!!

There will be other things going on such as the fly-in and the snowmobile radar runs which will be ongoing throughout the day.

Thanks for showing an interest in the Festival.

[mcdude]

I sent a short note off to Alton Parks and Recreation and Kellie was kind enough to respond. (Thanks!) Here's what she had to say, "Thank you for your email. I am sorry to hear that the Saturday date may not work for some people from out of town. The date was changed because we thought it would be good to have Sunday as a rain/snow date so the event could be re-scheduled if there was inclement weather on Saturday; the actual event is 1:00pm-3:00pm so maybe people could still make it since it is in the afternoon. If the Saturday date doesn't work this year maybe it can be changed in the following year. Feedback on the date would be helpful for planning in 2006. The Bed Race is at 3:00pm and the rules are: 5 people push, pull or slide the bed to the finish line, cleats are prohibited and there is not a size limit for the bed, someone has to be able to sit on it (four people push one person sits). The event is free and prizes will be awarded."

[Mee-n-Mac]

Good info, thx all. Hmmm, decisions decisions ....

[upthesaukee]

The following is the "official flier" for the winter festival...unfortunately I couldn't get the text and graphics to copy over to the forum.

ALTON BAY WINTER FESTIVAL

Saturday, February 19, 2005

1:00pm-3:00pm

Alton Bay Bandstand, Lake Winnipesaukee

Sponsored by Alton Parks and Recreation Department

COME OUT AND PLAY WITH US!

We are rocking the bay with music, games and memory making events. Check out the planes, snowmobiles and ice fishing and don’t forget to sign up for the special events and get a good spot to watch the Great Alton Bay Bed Race. All ages and four legged friends are welcome; please dress warm for the weather.

D.J. Music, Fly-In, Scavenger Hunt, Snowshoe Walk, Great Alton Bay Bed Race, Mt. Major Snowmobile Club Radar Run, Food and more. Prizes and fun!!

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

1:00pm-3:00pm- FREE EVENTS

1:00pm- D.J. Music, Ice Bowling

1:30pm- Family Scavenger Hunt, prizes

2:00pm- Snowshoe Walk- 30 minute walk to keep you warm, great view of the lake and mountains

2:45pm- Parade of Beds, see the creative themes and fast racers

3:00pm- The Great Alton Bay Bed Race- 5 person team (four people push one person rides) bed to finish line, no cleats permitted, any size bed is ok, themed beds are welcome and encouraged, prizes awarded.



11:00am-3:00pm- Mt. Major Snow Mobile Club Radar Run




The NHAA Fly-In is scheduled for all day. Please observe planes from a safe distance and PLEASE NOTE: PEDESTRIANS ARE PROHIBITED FROM THE RUNWAY.



For More Information contact us at: 603.875.0109, parksrec@alton.nh.gov, www.altonparksandrecreation.com. Creating Community Through People, Parks and Programs J



Hope this will help plan your day and hope to see as many as can make it on the ice at the bay!!!!!

[trfour]

I think that you did an Awesome job with the flyer,.... and of course, the rest of your works here as well!
Thank you!

[Merrymeeting]

UPTHESAUKEE,

Thought you might want to know about an error in the flyer.

The link to the parks and rec site directs you to an obsolete site. Once redirected to the correct parks and rec site, there seems to be no information about the festival. Someone may want to look into this.

[Merrymeeting]

I take it back. The info is there, under the "Activities" link. But, it does not show on the calendar of events.

[upthesaukee]

TRFour --thanks for the compliment, but the flier is the handywork of Kellie Troendle, Parks and Rec Director here in Alton.


Merry Meeting the flier was done before they moved the parks & rec website into the town. However, I did check the website and I see the event listed under Feb 19, 2005 in the calendar in the Parks and Rec area.

Town Calendar2/19/2005 - Parks & Recreation - Winter Festival:

The Parks and Recreation Department is sponsoring its annual Winter Festival on Saturday, February 19, 2005 from 1:00pm-3:00pm at the Alton Bay Bandstand.

COME OUT AND PLAY WITH US!
We are rocking the bay with music, games and memory making events. Check out the planes, snowmobiles and ice fishing and don’t forget to sign up for the special events and get a good spot to watch the Great Alton Bay Bed Race. All ages and four legged friends are welcome; please dress warm for the weather.

Activities will include the Fly-In, Great Alton Bay Bed Race, Family Scavenger Hunt, Snow Shoe Walk, Cross Country Ski Trek, D.J. Music, Snow Mobile Radar Run and more.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
1:00pm-3:00pm- FREE EVENTS

1:00pm- D.J. Music Begins

1:30pm- Family Scavenger Hunt, prizes

2:00pm- Snowshoe Walk- 30 minute walk to keep you warm, great view of the lake and mountains

2:45pm- Parade of Beds, see the creative themes and fast racers

3:00pm- The Great Alton Bay Bed Race- 5 person team (four people push one person rides) bed to finish line, no cleats permitted, any size bed is ok, themed beds are welcome and encouraged, prizes awarded.

11:00am-3:00pm- Mt. Major Snow Mobile Club Radar Run

The NHAA Fly-In is scheduled for all day. Please observe planes from a safe distance and PLEASE NOTE: PEDESTRIANS ARE PROHIBITED FROM THE RUNWAY.

Beware of goblins in your cpu....

[trfour]

Upthesaukee, not to take any credit away from Kellie, but after all, your the one that found a way and got it out to the Forum.
Thank you!

[Merrymeeting]

My apologies "Up". Might have helped if I was looking at February instead of January!

[upthesaukee]

Thanks again TRFour, and I am on the Alton Parks & Rec Commission and have the pleasure of working closely with Kellie and also with the other members of the commission. While we may not have the retail infrastructure to attract people to our end of the lake, we try to make up for it with fun things to do year round. Thanks to Don Zimmer's efforts, this forum is a wonderful vehicle by which to disseminate this info... I'm only too happy to help. Also thanks to Rattlesnake Gal for all the work she does here...Not just the posting, but also working the Forum calendar and putting out info for Alton and other lake community activities.

Merrymeeting... I actually thought to myself...SELF...Could he be looking at January....or last February...Oh well...not like I haven't done that.

[Rattlesnake Gal]

Originally Posted by Mee-n-Mac

Good info, thx all. Hmmm, decisions decisions ....

So, Mee-n-Mac, is there going to be a forum entry in the bed race?
I have some old ski’s to donate to the cause. Could be good advertising for Winnipesaukee.com too!
Anyone interested in helping him? It could be fun! Could this be our Winter ForumFest?

[Mee-n-Mac]

Originally Posted by Rattlesnake Gal

So, Mee-n-Mac, is there going to be a forum entry in the bed race?
I have some old ski’s to donate to the cause. Could be good advertising for Winnipesaukee.com too!
Anyone interested in helping him? It could be fun! Could this be our Winter ForumFest?

Well I don't think I can find the time for an entry this year, got those remodelling blues right now. I think we may come up just for the Sat to see the planes and beds (may talk "Mee" into the Fri night @ Wolfeboro Inn with consequent libations @ the Tavern or Garwoods). I'll check out this year's entrants and figure out a crafty entry for next year perhaps.

[Pepper]

RG and M-n-M, I am totally game for next year, and have a few ideas you might laugh yourselves silly over. What say over the summer a gang of us get together and put some ideas down and get it going for next winter?????????

[mcdude]

I'd like to help also but probably couldn't arrive until the day of the event. RG has the skiis and at one point Outlaw volunteered an old bed she had (if it hasn't been thrown out by now? BTW: Glad to see you back posting Outlaw....isn't it nice getting picked on?) It seems that a garage would help where we might put it together. (I think upthesaukee volunteered some space but can't really help since he is on the board at Alton Parks and Recreation) Then we would need a pick-up truck to get the entry down to the bay I suppose. I put together a little web page last year with photos. Most of you have seen this as I posted it last year but for any newbies out there....
Photos of Alton Bay Winterfest
(PS - Upthesaukee: sorry your name got partially cut off in the Main Street Article!)

[Outlaw]

Mcdude - I still have that bed, earmarked for the winni.com entry for this race, whether it be this year or next. I have the garage and the truck too - the only thing I don't have this year is that day free, go figure.

I'm thinking Pepper has the right idea - we get together for a few beers and PIZZA and plan an awesome entry for 2006, since we have many of the items we'll need. We just need time to plan and build. By the way, without doubt I have all the tools we'd be needing in that garage I mentioned, to make this entry. Let's definitely plan on an entry for next year.

+

We are so there - 2006 !

[upthesaukee]

Outlaw, you forgot one thing with the "smilies":

[upthesaukee]

I was at a meeting with Kellie Troendle, Alton Parks and Rec Director, this evening, and the good news is that the Winter Festival is still on. There will still be activities on the bay (the ice is safe for that type of activity). there will be food booths on the ice as well.

I have contacted the Mt Major snowmobile club secretary to see if the radar run is still on. More info on that as it becomes available.

Unfortuately, the runway on the bay is not safe for aircraft to land or depart and as such has been closed. It appears the 2005 flyin is cancelled, no "rain date" (pardon the poor weather pun) is expected. This is disappointing because it is such a people draw and such a vital part of the winter festival. As disappointing as it is for us that go to watch, it must be even more disappointing for those who planned to fly in.

Still hope to see everyone there on Saturday. Weather is supposed to cooperate, and will be warmer than the last two years.

[Island Girl]

Current Alton Bay Airport Conditions
2/17/05 @ 22:00

The AANH -sponsored fly-in will not take place Feb 19, due to poor runway conditions. The airport management is working on the situation hoping to get it opened in time for our back-up date of Feb 26th. We will post more information here as it becomes available.

[upthesaukee]

We'll certainly keep a good thought. Intellicast's 10 forecast is certainly encouraging...only precipitation forecasted is snow flurries today and tomorrow, snow showers Mon & Tues, and again on Saturday. Notice that dreaded "R" word is missing. Temps next week are lows in the teens & twenties, with highs in the twenties, with Tues forecasted to be 33.

The flyin is certainly a high point of my winter season here in Alton.

Thanks for the update.

[Nellie]

The Mt. Major Snowmobile Club's Annual Radar Run is still on for Saturday. The event starts at 10 a.m.

Please come and support the club! FMI: www.mountmajorsnowmobileclub.com