Steamboat Winter Carnival

February 8-12, 2012

History

The Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club is pleased to host the 99th Winter Carnival. Beginning as the organizing committee for the first Winter Carnival, the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club (SSWSC) has maintained the Carnival as a service to the community since 1914. The Winter Carnival started as a way to help locals with cabin fever during the height of the winter season and has continued to this day as a way to celebrate winter, which is such an important part of our daily lives here in the Yampa Valley.  

This annual celebration includes a variety of exciting and fun-filled events that embrace our western heritage and highlight our tradition of winter sports.  The festivities include such events as an outdoor adventure film festival and/or slide show series, ski jumping, dual slalom bicycle race, snowboarding jam session, tubing party, pancake breakfast, soda pop slalom, telemark revival, international muzzleloading biathlon, the diamond hitch parade which includes the High School band on skis, street events with horse and rider pulling kids on skis down main street, and the night show with a huge fireworks display and the famous Lighted Man. 

In addition to providing numerous fun-filled activities for locals and visitors alike, Winter Carnival also serves as an annual fundraising opportunity for the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club. Winter Carnival button sales proceeds are the primary source of funds within the event. 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.

Schedule

This annual celebration includes a variety of exciting and fun-filled events that embrace our western heritage and highlight our tradition of winter sports.  The festivities include such events as an outdoor adventure film festival and/or slide show series, ski jumping, dual slalom bicycle race, snowboarding jam session, tubing party, pancake breakfast, soda pop slalom, telemark revival, international muzzleloading biathlon, the diamond hitch parade which includes the High School band on skis, street events with horse and rider pulling kids on skis down main street, and the night show with a huge fireworks display and the famous Lighted Man.

In addition to providing numerous fun-filled activities for locals and visitors alike, Winter Carnival also serves as an annual fundraising opportunity for the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club. Winter Carnival button sales proceeds are the primary source of funds within the event. 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.

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 snowboards) being pulled behind horses down a snow-covered Lincoln Avenue. Horse Events include: Street Slalom, Ski Joring, Ring & Spear, 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 infant to 14 years old.

Winter Carnival Street Events

* Pre-Registration is REQUIRED for all Horse Events. NO DAY-OF REGISTRATION for the Horse Events. Registration date and time TBD in the Steamboat Visitor Center lobby.

All kids interested in participating in this year's street events need to register in advance for the Horse Events. Registration for the Winter Carnival street events will open at 7:30 A.M. on Friday, January 28th at the Steamboat Springs Visitor's Center. Registration closes on Friday, February 4th. You need to register in person for the Horse Events and we cannot accept registrations over the phone. Get there early as availability fills quickly! Please see the list below for descriptions of the different events.

2012 Street Events Schedule of Events 

Events in Bold - Horse Events and required advance registration

** On Saturday, February 11th, the Nordic Council will be putting on a 100 meter Nordic Sprint. This race will start on 6th and end at 8th Street. Please contact the Nordic Council for registration information. The street events will start at 9:00 A.M. as usual.**