Despite the fact that we don’t have a lot of snow, the organizations putting on the various events throughout the weekend have made accommodations so that WinterFest weekend can continue.
Friday
The festivities will begin on Friday evening with the WinterFest Bonfire to be held at the Archuleta County Fairgrounds. The fire and festivities begin at 5 p.m. Join us for the free concert featuring popular performer Tylor Brandon. There will also be food trucks featuring delicious fare, a hot and cold beverage bar, and lots of warmth provided by the bonfire.
Don’t forget to drop your Christmas trees off at the fairgrounds to be used for fuel. Also remember that no outside alcoholic beverages are allowed at this event.
A reception will be held for the hot air balloon pilots at the fairgrounds also that evening, as well as registration for the Skijoring contestants. The bonfire will be flaming from 5 to 8 p.m.
Saturday
Saturday is the busiest day of the weekend, with a variety of activities for the participant and spectator alike.
The morning will kick off with the hot air balloon rally located on the west side of town. The balloons will launch around the Eagle’s Loft area, as well as around the vacant field by Walmart around 8 a.m. Please be cognizant to avoid parking on roadways and the highway to take photos or view the balloons. While we love our balloons and the picturesque opportunity they offer with the snowcapped mountains and lakes in the background, we need to keep roadways and arteries open.
The morning will continue with skijoring happening at the Archuleta County Fairgrounds beginning at 10 a.m. and going all day. You can purchase a day or weekend pass. Come out and enjoy the fast-paced, skillful event as skiers and snowboarders are pulled by horses through a designed course. We will have participants from as far as Canada. Check out www.skisandsaddles.com for times, event categories and more.
For the Nordic enthusiast, the BB Gun Biathlon will still take place, just not in town as usual. The course has been moved up toward Wolf Creek, with the biathlon beginning at 9:15 a.m. for the freestyle competitive race and other categories occurring throughout the morning. While not required, costumes are highly encouraged to add some pizazz to this skillful event. Visit www.pagosanordic.com to register for the race.
The downtown area will also be busy in the morning with two activities.
The annual Barkus Parade, benefiting Rugby’s Rescue, will rally in Town Park at 10:30 a.m. and head off down the Riverwalk at 11 a.m. Bring your four-legged friend and support the efforts of those working with our animal population. As usual, there will be prizes galore, especially in the costuming category, and with a donation, you can also get a cup of delicious gumbo.
Also at 11 a.m., an independent group has designed a March for Equality. This march coincides with the national People’s March occurring in Washington, D.C., the same day. While not a WinterFest activity, this event occurs during that weekend. Those interested in participating will meet in Town Park and the route will be along U.S. 160.
Stay in the downtown area and shop or soak while there is a short break.
Beginning at 1 p.m. the crazy plungers will take to the frigid San Juan River for the Penguin Plunge. Individuals and groups brave the freezing water to raise money for their favorite nonprofit agencies. Last year more than $10,000 was raised for various organizations. The plungers come out in costumes and a lot of fortitude as they go in the frigid river and swim over Davey’s Wave. We always want to thank our swift-water rescue and EMS teams as they ensure that there are no injuries or frozen participants. The parking lot at the Visitor Center will be closed off for emergency crews and plungers. Please view the festivities from the Riverwalk.
Unfortunately this year, the annual Sledz on Rez, hosted by Build Pagosa, has been canceled. There’s just not enough snow to handle those crazy creations this year. However, look for some of the Build Pagosa students at the Plunge.
Close out the day with a live music concert hosted by Skis and Saddles with local crowd-pleaser Brooks-i. The music will begin at 8 p.m. and be held at the fairgrounds.
Sunday
Moving onto Sunday, we again begin with the hot air balloon rally in the same area as Saturday, and it will kick off around 8 a.m. Note that the hot air balloon launch is weather contingent. So, even though we may not have snow, other weather conditions, such as wind or rain, may affect the launch.
If you have been wanting to dip your toes into the cross-country or Nordic adventure, on this Sunday, Jan. 19, the Nordic Club will host its annual “Learn to Cross-Country Ski” event. Whether you are a novice or would like to hone your skills, there is an instructor for each category. Again, visit the club’s website to register for the day’s class. The categories fill up quickly, so register now.
If you were too busy elsewhere on Saturday, you can still catch the thrills and skills of skijoring on Sunday beginning at 10 a.m. back at the fairgrounds.
No snow? No problem. WinterFest activities are ready for our participants or spectators. Just dress warmly and let’s have some winter fun.
