Ohiopyle State Park to kick off Winter Fest
OHIOPYLE – The staff at Ohiopyle State Park and Friends of Ohiopyle group are elated that winter has finally arrived. The snow is falling just in time to kick off the first annual Ohiopyle Winter Fest from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday at the Sugarloaf Sledding area of the park. According to Stacy Faust, park assistant manager, she and the others involved in planning the event had almost resigned themselves to canceling it until next year because of the unusually mild weather and lack of snow.
With a sigh of relief Faust said, “Now the staff and volunteers are eagerly doing last minute preparations at the site, such as installing electric, and finishing the ice skating rink. She is optimistic that the event will be a success.
“The main idea for organizing the event is to let the public know that Ohiopyle offers fun winter recreational activities in addition to the summer ones, as well as drawing visitors to the area in hopes of supporting the community, and local businesses,” she added.
The day is chalked full of winter activities. The Hilltoppers Youth Nordic Group of Brecksville Ohio, will offer instruction and demonstration in cross-country skiing under the direction of Tom Cook, program coordinator.
An instructor from RGI in Pittsburgh will offer snowshoeing lessons. Staff from the Seven Springs Mountain Resort will provide snowboarding lessons.
Ohiopyle Park offers three trails of varying degrees of difficulty for cross country skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing. The Sproul, and Sugarloaf trails are more challenging, while the bike trail is great for novices, or those wanting less strenuous exercise.
Be sure to bring the kids, the sleds and the ice skates for some fun downhill runs on Sugarloaf hill, and figure eights, and spins on the newly installed ice rink. Then take a break and help the kids compete in a snowman-building contest.
Those who cannot or wish not to participate in physical activities can enjoy educational programs about Fur Trading, and building snow shelters or watchdog sledding demonstrations. The park’s environmental staff will be presenting these programs continuously throughout the day.
Festival participants can get cozy on a horse-drawn sleigh ride by J & H Riding Stable for a donation of $5. Kids 10 and under are admitted free.
Take the chill off by sipping hot chocolate and eating s’mores around a crackling fire, while listening to live guitar music and watching professional ice carver and Mark Henry, certified executive chef of Culinary Designs in Ice showcase his unique talent.
Donations will be collected to help support the event. Proceeds will benefit Friends of Ohiopyle. The volunteer group was officially formed in November 2005, although many of its core members have been donating their time to the park for more than 10 years.
Group president Liz Tavares of Midland has been involved for 12 years, she said.
“I fell in love with Ohiopyle in the 1980s, volunteering with a great core of volunteers who are so dedicated makes me feel so good,” she said. “We work in the cold and in the rain and enjoy every minute of it.”
Volunteers come from all over the Greater Pittsburgh area. The group meets monthly to clear and clean the trails, and work on park projects. One project slated is to produce a historical video that discusses the rich history of Ohiopyle.
According to Traveres, “The goal of the festival is to put Ohiopyle on the map as a venue for winter activities.”
She like Stacy Faust believe that if the festival is a success in drawing winter crowds, many of the merchants would stay open year round and the area would get an economic boost.
They both agree that Ohiopyle is a beautiful landscape in the winter, as well as the in the summer and hope people will come out and enjoy the first of what they hope is an annual Ohiopyle Winter Fest.