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• Calendar of Events

Winter Carnival street events

Winter Carnival fireworks display

97th Annual Winter Carnival

When: February 3-7, 2010

Contact: 970-879-0880

Beginning as the organizing committee for the first Winter Carnival, the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club (SSWSC) has maintained the Winter Carnival as a service to the community since 1914. The Winter Carnival started as a way to help residents cope with cabin fever during the height of the winter season. The event continues to this day as a way to celebrate winter; as a reason for neighbors to gather; and as an opportunity for everyone to experience a piece of Ski Town USA® history and tradition.

This annual celebration includes a variety of events that embrace our western heritage and highlight Steamboat's tradition of winter sports. The festivities include such events as: Ski Jumping competitions, a Snowboarding Jam Session, the Soda Pop Slalom, a Tubing Party, the Diamond Hitch Parade which includes the High School band on skis, the Street Events on Lincoln Avenue, and the Night Extravaganza at Howelsen Hill with a brilliant fireworks display and the famous Lighted Man.

Street Events

On Saturday and Sunday hundreds of people line Lincoln Avenue to witness the Street Events. The Street Events are a wildly popular and entertaining show featuring children on skis (or a snowboard) being pulled behind horses down a snow-covered Lincoln Avenue. Horse Events include: Street Slalom, Ski Joring, the Ring & Spear, the Ring & Box, and the famous Donkey Jump. Horse Events are for children ages 6 to 14 years old, while Non-Horse Events are for children ranging in age from infants to 14 years old.

Winter Carnival Street Events Descriptions

Horse Events

RING AND BOX: (Ages 6 - 9): Contestant with skis on will have a ring of rope in their hand and will be pulled down main street by a horse. The contestant will attempt to drop the ring in a washtub as he/she passes by tub. Fastest time wins. Penalty for missing the washtub.
RING AND SPEAR: (Ages 6 - 9): Five stands will be located on the street with a ring of rope hanging from each stand. Contestants with skis will carry a spear and attempt to collect all five rings while being pulled by a horse down the street. Most rings collected and fastest time wins. Penalties for every ring missed.
SKI JORING: (Ages 6 - 9 and 10 - 14): Contestant with skis will race a flat course down the street while being pulled by a horse. Fastest time wins.
STREET SLALOM: (Ages 6 - 9 and 10 - 14): Contestant with skis will ski a slalom course through a series of cones while being pulled by a horse down the street. Fastest time wins. Anyone missing a cone or falling during performance will be disqualified.
DONKEY JUMP: (Ages 6 - 9 and 10 - 14): Contestant will attempt to jump off a 2-foot ramp while being pulled on skis by a horse down main street. Longest distance while maintaining a standing position wins.
SHOVEL RACE: (Ages 18 and over): Contestants will situate themselves in a shovel of any type and while being pulled by a horse, will race a flat course down the street. Fastest time wins. Anyone falling off the shovel during performance will be disqualified.

Non-Horse Events

25 YARD DOG AND DAD DASH: (Ages 5 and under) Children 5 years old and younger compete against one another while being pulled in a sled or toboggan (no metal runners allowed) by the family dog. All dogs must be leashed and led by the parent/dog owner during the dash. Following the dog competition will be the Dad Dash with Dad on all fours pulling the child. First one over the finish line wins.
3-LEGGED RACE: (Ages 5 - 8 and 9-11) Two people on skis tie legs together (ties provided) and race to finish line. The first pair over the finish line wins.
OBSTACLE COURSE: (Ages 4-6, 7-10, and 11-14) Contestants on skis maneuver around a variety of obstacles and then make a straight dash to the finish line. First one over the finish line wins.
25 YARD DASH for ages 3-5 years, 75 YARD DASH for 9-11 years and 150 YARD DASH for 11-14 years all on skis.

Winter Carnival Fun Facts

In past years, what was the penalty for being caught without a carnival button?
You were made to push a peanut down Lincoln Ave with your nose

What is the name of the first jumping hill in Steamboat and which building is located on it now?
Woodchuck Hill - Colorado Mountain College

For how many years has the Steamboat Springs High School’s Band marched down the street on skis playing for the spectators of the Winter Carnival Parade?
71 Years - first started in 1935 by band conductor Jerry McGuare. The Steamboat Springs High School Band was the first band ever to march on skis.

How does all that snow get on Lincoln Avenue?
Thanks to the City Public Works department who coordinates the stockpiling of snow and has it here by 6:00 a.m. each year. 400 plus tons of snow are used to cover the streets. And yes, they cover the streets and clean it up for each day of the street events! Special thanks to our Public Works Department!

Winter Carnival Western Heritage

Approximately 15 individuals from the community volunteer their time, energy, and horses to participate in the street events. The horse events truly create the excitement surrounding the street events. The horse riders play a crucial role in making the street events a thrilling spectator event, and the efforts of all of the horse riders in preparing the horses for the events are greatly appreciated. In order to participate in the street events, the horses must be specially shod with cleats for traction in the snow. In addition, it takes an exceptional horse with lots of training to feel comfortable around crowds of people.

Special thanks to our long time Routt County families who ride in the street events each year: the Wilhelms with three generations of riders, the Yeagers with three generations of riders, the Uries, the Duncans, the Wheelers and the Garcias. We couldn't do this event without you!

More Historical Information

Steamboat Springs’ Winter Carnival is an event steeped in tradition. The Winter Carnival began in 1914, 29 years after Steamboat Springs was founded, Dad dash to alleviate the pressures of enduring the cold and sometimes too lengthy winters in Routt County. The event is historically held every year in the second week in February no matter what weather conditions are bestowed upon us by “Mother Nature.”

Sponsored by the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club to assist athletic programs, the Winter Carnival is produced by volunteer efforts. As is true with so many events in Steamboat Springs, the volunteers facilitate and coordinate the Winter Carnival solely as a service to the community.

In its early years, a handful of events included ski jumping and cross country ski races. The street events were added in the 2nd Annual Winter Carnival. The event has come quite a long way since its inception in 1914 when the first Winter Carnival was held on Wood Chuck Hill (the current location of the Colorado Mountain College campus). Today hundreds of participants and thousands of spectators take part in a variety of alpine, Nordic, freestyle, snowboarding and other unique events at venues throughout town.

The Lighted Man tradition began in 1936 with Claudius Banks. However, The first night show event in which the Lighted Man appeared wasn’t until 1939. His outfit weighed more than 100 pounds. His suit had 200 lights and was powered by wet cells and yards of wiring.

In 1970, Jon Banks joined his father Claudius, and there were 2 lighted men for several years. Jon still serves as the lighted man today. Today, the suit that is powered by a 12-volt D.C. gas recombination battery consists of 32 Roman candles, 12 sky rockets and a metal cylinder mounted on a football helmet studded with flashing lights. The costume weighs 70 pounds. It takes about five o six people to put the entire outfit on Jon Banks, The Lighted Man.

The Street Events which are coordinated by the Steamboat Springs Chamber Resort Association are one of the most popular events of the week long Winter Carnival. Thank you to everyone involved in making the street events a success. Also, thank you to all of the spectators who take the time out of their day to partake in all the fun. As long as there is winter in Routt County, we look forward to continuing the tradition and winter celebration of the Steamboat Springs Winter Carnival!

In addition to providing numerous activities for the entire family, Winter Carnival also serves as an annual fundraising opportunity for the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club. All spectators and event participants are encouraged to purchase and wear an official Winter Carnival button to show their support of Winter Carnival and of the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club.