WINTER CARNIVAL & MARDI GRAS 2014 ISSUE
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The Official Newspaper of the Village Of Ellicottville and the Towns of Ellicottville, Great Valley and Mansfield, New York
Your Hometown Newspaper Serving Ellicottville, Great Valley, Little Valley, Mansfield, Olean, Salamanca, Springville and Surrounding Communities
Plan Your Ellicottville Spring Fling
Ellicottville, Holiday Valley, HoliMont & Local Area
Spectacular New Events, Spring Skiing, Epic Trails, Family Faves — Catch the Fever!
Calendar of Events
Performance Tuning and Service Available
March 7 Tele-Fest HoliMont March 7 Celtic Thunder Fundraiser Ellicottville Town Center March 8-9 Mardi Gras & Winter Carnival Ellicottville • Holiday Valley March 13-16 Freestyle B East Coast Championships Holiday Valley By Eva Potter
Visit Ellicottville this spring and experience a very special rebirth. Exciting new events, annual family favorites, team sports competitions, peaceful solo adventures and the joyful sounds of bluegrass fill the calendar between now and the beginning of summer.
On the Slopes Just because spring is around the corner doesn’t mean winter is leaving anytime soon, and now is the time — believe it, or not — to plan for next winter by buying your Holiday Valley season passes at a great price. Special pricing ends April 30. Call (716) 699-2345 or visit www.holidayvalley.com for details. The annual Winter Carnival at Holiday Valley, March 8–9, is a perennial favorite with lots of events on and off the mountain. Make it a weekend and be sure to wear your zaniest ski costumes. And don’t forget the beads! Snow pony races, snow bowling, dual beer and root beer race, a costume parade down Mardi Gras, the annual Snowbar, cookouts, face painting, the Ski Patrol pancake breakfast, the Yodeler Dummy Downhill and more family-style fun fill the schedule. Find more info at www.holidayvalley.com. On Saturday, March 8, head to the village to watch the he fun unfold in the annual Mardi Gras Parade. Gather along the sidewalks to watch this colorful display of winter joy explode with wild costumes, beads, floats, music and lots of happy people eople embracing winter in Ellicottville. HoliMont’s Mardi Gras takes place March 8–9 for members and includes a torchlight parade, costume parade, “clock your speed” radar race, root beer race and a lively après ski party
with live music. Their Spring Carnival, March 10–14, is filled with great social events, fun times on the slopes, contests for adults and kids, activities in the chalet and hopefully some sunny days on the patio. Holiday Valley hosts the Freestyle EQS (Eastern Qualifying Series) Championships March 14-16. Spectators are invited to watch as 160 competitors from the northeastern U.S. compete in moguls, aerials and slopestyle disciplines. These skiers, Young Guns and Youth groups, have earned enough points through events this season to qualify for this competition. All competitions can be viewed from base areas. The mogul course takes place on Yodeler, aerials on Foxfire and slopestyle on Snoozer. The Quarterpipe Competition at Holiday Valley on March 15 takes place at the base of Yodeler, when the huge Winter Carnival Snowbar is reshaped into a giant quarterpipe. Anyone can participate. Registration ($5 fee) starts at 10 a.m. at Yodeler. Event starts at noon. Helmets are required. If under 18, a parent signature is necessary. The Acrobag Jump hits Holiday Valley March 20–23 and will operate weather permitting. Experience the thrill of launching yourself off the ramp, doing a few tricks and ending the stunt with a cool soft landing. Hours and ticket costs to be announced. If under 18, a parent’s signature is required and so are helmets. More info at www.holidayvalley.com. The Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce members and their guests gather for the annual Chamber Ski Day, a great day of skiing or boarding at HoliMont on March 20. Ski pass, BBQ lunch, après ski party, raffles and live music included. Call (716) See Spring Fling on page 3
March 14 Quarterpipe Contest Holiday Valley March 22 Pond Skimming Party Holiday Valley Mar 23 Northwind Super G Holiday Valley April 11-13 Enchanted Mountain Music Festival Holiday Valley June 6-8 Cycling Weekend Holiday Valley June 14 Mudslide Obstacle Trail Run Holiday Valley