December 22, 2008 E-MAIL PRINT

Around the Region: Holiday happenings

by Marty Basch/

Holidays can be a blur, and Vermont's Burke Mountain has events planned for the vacation week for all family members. (photo: Burke Mountain)

Holidays can be a blur, and Vermont's Burke Mountain has events planned for the vacation week for all family members. (photo: Burke Mountain)

Head for the hills for the holidays. If you do, here are some event highlights  for the holiday season.

► Attitash in Bartlett, N.H., is loaded with events over the holiday week. The ATP Freeride Series begins with a Holiday Rail Jam on Dec. 27 that includes a 25-foot-long flat down "Rail Van." There's some cash on the line in this contest. For something less extreme, there is the Family Fun Race, a dual slalom, set for Dec. 28.

► Pats Peak in Henniker, N.H., is home to the POP deal. That means pay one price on Saturday nights beginning Dec. 27. For $36, get a lift ticket from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. for the 22-trail mountain to ski, snowboard and tube. That price also includes rentals and some quick-tip lessons. Pats Peak also plans a New Year's Eve celebration.

► Loon Mountain in Lincoln, N.H., has the second of its four Open Season rail jams on tap for Dec. 27. A bit more sedate is the magic show slated for 4:30 p.m. in the Octagon Lodge on Dec. 27 and the family movie in the Governor's Pavilion at 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 28.

► The Ullr Fest at Shawnee Peak in Bridgton, Maine, is always a good way to usher in winter with fireworks and drumming. That's on Dec. 29, and there will be $14 lift tickets from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. How's that for cheap skiing during the holidays?

► Up at Sugarloaf, the fifth annual Torch for the Cure Parade is set for Dec. 27, as skiers and snowboarders glide down the mountain under darkness. Fireworks follow. Olympic gold medalist Seth Wescott is scheduled to host the premiere of the snowboard movie "My Own Two Feet" on Dec. 29. That's five bucks.

► Strap on those snowshoes for the torchlight parade and snowshoe tour at Okemo in Ludlow, Vt., on Dec. 28. The tour leaves the base area at 6:30 p.m. Snowshoers will get a great view of the fireworks at 7:30 p.m.

► Stretch those legs after tackling Stowe and wander over to the ice carving displays at Spruce Plaza during the holiday week. Look for an inverted snowboarder to be unveiled Dec. 28. Stowe's Mountain Film Series screens "Off Piste in the Northeast" on Dec. 30 at 6:30 p.m. in the Spruce base lodge. It's a Vermont Ski Museum benefit ($5).

► Cold Wars get under way at Stratton on Dec. 27 at 5 p.m. on Tyrollenne. The series continues Jan. 17 and Feb. 7. Stratton has fireworks New Year's Eve.

► Further north in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom, Burke Mountain is paced with family activities. Look for a junior torchlight parade on Dec. 27, and earlier in the day word is Burkie the Bear might be showing up around 1 p.m. (Sunday, too). There is a family fun race set for high noon on Dec. 29 and a New Year's celebration as well.

► On the Massachusetts/New York border, Catamount is hosting a Mountain Dew Day on Dec. 30.

► Lastly, how about learning to ski or ride free in '09? About a dozen Vermont resorts are planning to offer free group lessons, gear and limited lift tickets from Jan. 4 to 11.

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