The fourth annual Red Deer Snow Fest will be taking place this weekend at Westerner Park’s Agricentre East.
Snow Fest, Central Alberta’s largest snow show, attracts an audience from across western Canada to take part in the live Jib Jam snowboard contest, freestyle ski demo and the ski and snowboard swap.
Snow Fest organizers, Chris Sereda and Tim Nelson, started the event after having both owned their own skate and snow shops and seeing the need to expand the snow sport community in Red Deer.
“We just saw a need for a show to support our ski and snowboard industry,” said Nelson. “We would go to Calgary and Edmonton and see how big the shows were and how great for the community they were so we decided we wanted to try to provide something like that for Red Deer. It really took off.”
While the event may have only started four years ago, Sereda explained that the exponential growth Snow Fest has experienced is due to their large vendor attendance and support from the community.
“For the public it’s great because there will be 19 stores from Alberta, Saskatchewan, and B.C. So for the riders it means they can get all of their gear for the year in one place.”
Not only can riders buy new gear from the vast array of vendors, but the ski and snowboard swap meet means that they can bring in gear on Friday from 4 to 9 p.m. and have it professionally appraised.
“On Sunday you can come and pick up your money for the sale or your gear if it hasn’t sold,” said Nelson. “If you’re new to the sport then you can come get a set of used skis or a snowboard to learn with.”
The indoor snow show’s board contest is planned to be bigger and better than ever before this year, they added.
Sereda and Nelson have also invited professional riders that include Edmonton’s Oil Country crew, pro riders from Calgary as well as local riders including Jaden Duggan from the Allrose snow team. The snow park will be set up in the middle of the event, which Sereda says creates an unbeatable atmosphere and a sort of ‘snow party’.
“Some of these guys will be straight from the videos that kids are watching now,” said Nelson. “Every year it’s also gotten bigger and it makes it a really fun event.”
Tickets are available in advance at Allrose as well as at the doors of the event for $5.
Saturday’s hours for the event go from 10 a.m to 5 p.m. and they carry into Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
jswan@reddeerexpress.com
