Schedule of Events

Schedule of Events

Friday, February 11, 2011

5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. (practice runs begin at 4 p.m.)

• Downtown Showdown (ski/snowboard competition) in Monument Square sponsored by Sunday River and Sugarloaf Mountains

Saturday, February 12, 2011

9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

• PolarBear 5K Road Race Sponsored by Tri-Maine
• To register, please go to tri-maine.com or call 207-751-6003
• Meet at East End Community School, 195 North Street

11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
(Please see back page for more detailed information.)

Free Family Fun for All Ages at Deering Oaks Park

• Build igloo forts and join the snowball fights along the ravine area
• Hop on a pogo stick and get into the swing of things with hoola-hoops
• Join the book-walk, snowshoeing, scavenger hunt
• Other fun snow games for all ages on Farmer’s Market Road brought to you by Portland Recreation and Healthy Portland. Bring your own sled/tube and slide on hills near playground
• Portland Neighborhood Organizations vie for the coveted Golden Mitten Award for best snowman….be sure to vote for your favorite
• Snow Sculpting Contest….be sure to vote for your favorite
• Free refreshments will be available at the Deering Oaks Park Castle area
• Warm up by the fire inside the Castle!

12:00 – 1:00 p.m.

Freezin’ For a Reason

Join us at East End Beach on Munjoy Hill for the Maine Polar Plunge to benefit Camp Sunshine. (For more information, or to sign up please visit freezinforareason.com or call 207-655-3800.)

2:30 p.m.

And the Winner Is…

• The winners for the snowmen and snow sculptures will be announced at the Deering Oaks Bandstand. Don’t forget to vote and be there to cheer for your favorite!

Maine Audubon Scavenger Hunt
Track animals and join naturalists from Maine Audubon for a fun scavenger hunt along Farmer’s Market Road. You never know what you might find!

Winter Kids “Snow Day!”
Walk through “Snow Day!” on snowshoes with WinterKids (illustrated by local artist, Scott Nash) along the Farmer’s Market Road

Portland Trails Geo-caching Snowshoe Adventure
….In honor of their 20th anniversary, Portland Trails is celebrating WinteRush by creating a series of geo-caches on the trail network. Strap on your snowshoes, grab your GPS, and get ready to dig in the snow! To find the caches, visit www.geocaching.com
On this day, Portland Trails will help you to take a snowshoe geo-caching adventure in Deering Oaks Woods. Meet near the ravine water play area. Feel free to bring your own snowshoes or to reserve snowshoes, please contact the Portland Trails’ office in advance at 207-775-2411. Happy trails to you….

Amateur ~ 2nd Annual Neighborhood Organization Snowman Contest
Vote for the best snowman/sculpture behind the bandstand area and help determine the winner of the coveted “Golden Mitten Award”. Neighborhoods will begin creating their own sculptures at 9:00 a.m. The winner will be announced at 2:30 p.m.

Your family is invited to enter the contest as well! So bundle up the kids, and even better, invite your friends and neighbors to join in the fun…just show up in the morning and create the best snowman/sculpture ever! Who knows? You could take the “Golden Mitten Award” home with you this year!

Expert & Amateur ~ 2nd Annual Snow Sculpture Contest
Watch experts and amateurs try their hand at the Maine Snow Sculpting contest at Deering Oaks Ball Field and vote for your favorite! (For more information or to register teams of two or three, please contact Portland Recreation at 207-756-8275 or email Karen at kseymour@portlandmaine.gov.)