Winterfest 2009 will be held at the Camden Amphitheatre and Camden Public Library on January 31, 2009, with a Community Ski Race at CHRHS on Sunday, February 1.

Camden’s Winterfest Returns

The Seventh Annual Camden Winterfest will be on Saturday, January 31, in the Camden Amphitheatre and the Camden Public Library. The centerpiece of Winterfest activity remains the Community Ice Carving Event. A dozen teams representing local community organizations will transform ordinary blocks of ice into crystalline ice sculptures using the traditional tools of the ice-carving artisan. Chef Tim Pierce of the Samoset Resort donates his time to teaching the teams the craft of ice sculpting.

Other popular features of Winterfest are the wagon rides, hot food outside, and cool music inside the library. The events start with a march by the teams from the Village Green to the Amphitheatre followed by an opening ceremony and the commencement of ice carving at 12:00 noon. Horse-drawn wagon rides continue throughout the afternoon, from 12:30 to 3:30. This year Winterfest features two “living art sculptures” entitled “Blizzard” and “Glacial” from the Global Warming Series by Meredith Alex.

Winter crafts for children will be available in the library, 12:00 to 2:00, hosted by the children’s librarians, Amy Hand and Susan Lewis. “All That Jazz” and other musicians will be performing under the rotunda in the library from 1:00 to 3:00 pm. Family wintertime activities are encouraged throughout the afternoon, including sledding and snowman building. This year’s Winterfest Ice Carving will not be a competition but a celebration of the individual style and spirit. The Awards and Closing Ceremony will be at 4:00 pm.

The “snow day” for Winterfest is Sunday, February 1.

The Winterfest festivities continue on Sunday with an open cross-country ski race. All are welcome, the race will be hosted and organized by the CHRHS cross-country ski team and coach Dave Ridley. The race takes place Sunday morning, February 1, at Camden Hills Regional High School at 10:00 am. The race is a 5 km freestyle format. Registration is from 8:30 to 9:30 am; those interested in participating should call Dave Ridley at 236-8567.

Winterfest is a popular winter event, presented by The First and hosted by the Camden Public Library, with sponsorship by the Camden Downtown Business Group. With or without snow, families are encouraged to come and play. Horse and wagon rides are offered free of charge. A merry band of culinary volunteers serve a variety of delicious hot soups donated by local restaurants, light snacks, and their world famous Arctic Grilled Cheese sandwiches.

Winterfest began six years ago as a modest effort to enliven our parks with community activity, engage and include the teens and youth of the community, and draw attention to the restoration of the parks. The event has its historic roots in the Camden Winter Carnival, a festive winter event celebrated in the Amphitheatre and at the Camden Snow Bowl in the late ’30s, discontinued in 1941. In 2008 an expanded program of outdoor and indoor activities attracted a crowd of more than 800 onlookers.