Much Anticipated Winterfest Arrives in Lake Arrowhead This Weekend!

LAKE ARROWHEAD, CA, February 18, 2011

After much anticipation and months of planning, the first-ever Winterfest will be taking place in Lake Arrowhead Village this weekend, Friday, February 18th through Monday, February 21st. While many mountain resort communities power-down for the winter season, Lake Arrowhead Village is pulling out all the stops with Winterfest 2011. According to Lake Arrowhead Village Marketing Director Rebecca Smith, "Winter is one of the best things about Lake Arrowhead Village. The winter season is extraordinarily beautiful up here on the mountain and we wanted to create a signature event that celebrates winter in all its glory." That's exactly what visitors should expect this weekend in Lake Arrowhead Village, as amateur and professional ice carvers, chili chefs, photographers, and entertainers gather to bring this amazing new event to life.

Throughout the weekend, visitors can watch professional and amateur ice carvers create magnificent works of art throughout the Village. According to Smith, "You really have to see this event up close to truly appreciate it. Pictures simply don't do the ice carving competition justice." The theme of this first-ever ice carving competition is "the good old days" and it's anybody's guess as to what the competitors will come up with.

The ice carving competition is just a small part of this weekend's festivities. Lake Arrowhead Village's Winterfest 2011 will also feature a "Chilly" Cook-Off. "It only makes sense," says Smith. "There's nothing better than a steaming bowl of chili on a crisp winter day, and we're going to have plenty of it here in the Village during Winterfest."

In addition to the "Chilly" Cook-Off and Ice Carving Competitions, there will be live entertainment on Center Stage each night throughout the weekend, featuring some truly exceptional music including everything from classic rock to rhythm and soul.

There is no question that winter offers some extraordinary photo-taking opportunities, and event organizers are capitalizing on that fact. A winter photography competition is one of the highlights of Winterfest 2011. Expect to see some remarkable submissions from both local and visiting photographers. "The mountains offer the perfect subject matter for a photo competition," says Smith, "and we're very excited to see what our entrants have come up with. There are surprisingly few photography contests that take place on the mountain, and we are excited about making this an annual event. We're even considering photo competitions during other seasons on the mountain."

Ice sculpting, the "Chilly" competition and the Photography Contest are just part of the action taking place in the Village this weekend. There will be loads of entertainment for the entire family as well as activities for the kids, including organized arts and crafts and much more! The complete schedule of events is as follows:

Friday, February 18th

3 pm to 5 pm - Competition Check-In (Stars Room)
5 pm to 8 pm - Timebomb: Classic Rock Band (Center Stage)

Saturday, February 19th

7:30 am to 9 am - Orientation and Check-In, Q&A with Judges (Stars Room)
10 am to 2 pm - Amateur Singles Competition (Center Stage Parking Lot)
2 pm - 2:30 pm - Announcement of Amateur Winner (Center Stage)
12 pm to 4 pm - Kids Craft Time (Color Me Mine)
4 pm to 6 pm - Red Not Chili Peppers: Red Hot Chili Peppers Tribute Band (Center Stage)
6 pm to 8 pm - Winterfest Happy Hour (Village Restaurants and Resort)

Sunday, February 20th

7:30 am to 9 am - Orientation and Check-In (Center Stage Parking Lot)
10 am to 2 pm - Professional Singles Competition (Center Stage Parking Lot)
12 pm to 2 pm - Kids Craft Time (Color Me Mine)
12 pm to 4 pm - Chilly Cook-Off (Dockside)
2 pm to 2:30 pm - Singles Pro Winner Announced (Center Stage)
4 pm to 6 pm - Anderson Hall: Blues, Rock and Country (Center Stage)
6 pm to 8 pm - Winterfest Happy Hour (Village Restaurants and Resort)

Monday, February 21st

7:30 am to 9 am - Orientation and Check-In (Center Stage Parking Lot)
10 am to 4 pm - Professional Team Competition (Center Stage Parking Lot)
5 pm to 7 pm - Awards Ceremony: Dinner and Dancing With the Band Yard Sale: Rock, Rhythm and Soul (Lake Arrowhead Resort) * Tickets available at $40 per person

For more information, you can call Lake Arrowhead Village Administration at (909) 337-2533.