This weekend's snow has arrived just in time for the Winter Carnival Weekend in Litchfield Hills.
The event is January 28th and 29th and will be a festive prelude to the annual Jumpfest Ski Jumping Championships in Salisbury, the town in Connecticut’s Litchfield Hills that has been a mecca for ski jumping for nearly a century.
The Carnival Weekend highlight will be a wacky Gelande Jumping Exhibition, from 5 pm – 7 pm on Jan. 28th and from 11 am – 2 pm on Sun., Jan. 29. This event, also known as “Alpine Skiing” is where skiers burdened with downhill equipment try to emulate the ski jumpers who will soon be showing for real what it takes to excel at this challenging sport.
Another new event debuting during Winter Carnival will be the Human Dogsled Race that will feature five people pulling a sixth on a sled over a .5 k course. The race will be held around 2 pm on Sunday after the Gelande Jumping event ends. In addition, activities for youngsters such as ice carving and the Children’s Ski Jumping Meet from 1pm – 3 pm have been planned.
Admission to all events is $10 for adults, children 12 years old and under free.
The 86th annual Jump Fest, slated for February 10 to 12 at John Satre Memorial Hill in Salisbury features the Eastern U.S. Championships, where the region’s best will show off their skill and grace, reaching speeds up to 50 miles per hour as they soar over 200 feet in the air.
Jump Fest begins Friday night with a chili cook-off at 6:30 p.m., following by target jumping under the lights starting at 7 p.m. On Saturday, the Salisbury Invitational Competition for juniors goes on from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. featuring 20 and 30 meter jumps, and leaps of 65 to 98 feet. Sunday brings the Eastern U.S. Ski Jumping Championships starting at 1 p.m., where everyone will be aiming to beat the course record, an impressive 231-foot jump.
Saturday also brings the event that has become a tradition along with ski jumping, the 11th annual Ice Carving Competition from 11 a,.m. to 3 p.m. on the grounds at Salisbury’s Scoville Memorial Library. Another tradition, open to all, is the Snow Ball Dance with live music, to be held at the Lakeville Firehouse on Saturday night at 8 p.m.
The all-volunteer Salisbury Winter Sports Association, long-time boosters of the sport and hosts of the annual championships, provides cross-country and jumping equipment and training to area children and maintains cross-country ski trails at several sites in town.
For happy viewing, the Association recommends that spectators dress warmly in lots of layers and bring a cowbell, the traditional way to cheer on the jumpers. Hot food and beverages are available starting about 10:00 AM each day to help watchers keep warm. Limited bleacher seating is provided or viewers can bring their own lawn chairs. Admission is $12 for adults; 12 and under are free.
Satre Hill is on Indian Cave Road, off Route 44 in Salisbury. Signs in the center of Salisbury point the way to ample free parking.
For more information on the ski jumping competitions, see jumpfest.org or contact the Western Connecticut Visitors Bureau, PO Box 968, Litchfield, CT 06759, (860) 567-4506, www.litchfieldhills.com. The Visitors Bureau also offers a free copy of UNWIND, a 112-page color guide to lodging and dining and other regional attractions in the Litchfield Hills.
About SWSA
A Salisbury Connecticut tradition for 80 years, this all-volunteer organization has fostered the exhilarating sport of ski jumping among all ages and generations. SWSA continues to improve its snowmaking capabilities, ensuring that the Eastern National Ski Jumping Championships will remain an annual event in Salisbury, CT
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