No snow, still a go: Less Winter means more Fest
One of Oregon WinterFest’s most popular events is canceled — and you can blame Mother Nature.
It will be the first time since the festival introduced the Rail Jam several years ago that the snow and ski competition has been cut from the activities. WinterFest is still expected to draw thousands of people from around Oregon and the region.
“Right now, there’s not a way to get the snow that we need,” Lay it Out Events spokeswoman Emily Arredondo said Thursday. “They only amount (of snow) they’ve even conceptualized is less than half of what we need to have a safe show.”
Arredondo said it takes 55 truckloads of snow to build the competition’s base. But even if they had the powder, it wouldn’t last long in the warm temperatures forecast for Bend over Valentine’s Day weekend.
Still, organizers said the show must go on, just in a different way.
“We’re going to have motocross,” Arredondo said. “You’re still going to get the flips and the thrills. We have X-Games competitors coming to the event.”
Metal Mulisha is scheduled to perform on Friday night and three shows on Saturday.
Other popular festivities like ice-sculpting, fire pits and music are still on.
Ironically, the lack of snow could make WinterFest even bigger.
“The passes are going to be clear, there’s going to be great weather, and when there’s great weather people like to get outside,” Arredondo said.
Blacksmiths with Orion Forge are gunning on heating up the Old Mill.
“We are entering the fire pit contest,” said Orion Forge employee Kellen Bateham. “We are also building the fire throne for the fire king and ice queen.”
He’s not worried the lack of winter weather will hurt the competition
“In the perfect world, it would be 31 degrees and lightly snowing with no wind,” Bateham said. “But if the weather’s nice, a lot of people will come out.”
The festival is expected to live up to the essence of WinterFest, if not the name.
For information on the event, including performances and ticket price you can visit the WinterFest web page here: http://oregonwinterfest.com/
