Those already missing the fun and excitement of this year’s Durango’s Snowdown events have another opportunity to participate in more winter-themed competitions and spectacle this weekend. Silverton is celebrating the snow and ice with their annual Rockin’ and Rollin’-themed 2023 Snowscape Winter Festival.
“It’s become an annual event,” said Silverton Chamber of Commerce Executive Director DeAnne Gallegos. “It’s very family-friendly focused.”
Similarly to Snowdown, Snowscape became a tradition in Silverton to help residents alleviate stress and depression by providing something fun to do during the long, cold winter days in February.
“It’s really fun, and there’s so much to do,” said Gallegos. “It’s a nice lead in to our Skijoring event that will be next weekend.”
Skijoring, another popular tradition in Silverton in which skiers run races while being pulled by horses, draws in crowds from all over Colorado and even across the U.S. Skijoring and Snowscape are two events that bring in much needed money into the small, historic town during the winter months.
One of Gallegos’ favorite events is the Classic Cardboard Box Sled Derby, a popular competition in which participants create elaborate sleds out of cardboard and race them down the slopes of Kendall Mountain Recreation Area.
“We have a workshop on Friday for people to put together their sleds,” said Gallegos. “It’s held at the Silverton Creative District.”
Other activities during the Snowdown festivities are a Yeti Dunes Executive Snow Golf Tournament at the train depot, snow relay races, a broomball championship at the skating rink at Kendal Mountain, glow-in-the-dark night skiing and a snow sculpture contest that encourages residents to make use of the snow drifts and piles sitting in front of their homes.
Gallegos stresses there are also strictly adult activities during Snowscape, such as a masquerade ball fundraiser at the Grant Imperial Hotel on Saturday, which will also feature a casino night and poker tournament.
“We’ll have bloody marys and cocktails,” she said. “There will be a roulette (wheel). People can wear a full costume or just a mask if they want. The masquerade ball also pays for our big Fourth of July celebration.”
Gallegos said a majority of Snowscape’s events are on Saturday, which will end with an elaborate fireworks display.
“There’s going to be a firework show and glow-in-the-dark skiing,” she said. “The whole thing is really so much fun.”
molsen@durangoherald.com
