Oxford Hills Snowfest always big boost for local economy

NORWAY — For the 16th year, hundreds of snowmobilers from across the region are set to converge on Norway for the annual Oxford Hills Snowfest. 

With more than 3,000 people expected to attend, expect the scenic vista of Lake Pennesseewassee to transform a veritable city on ice during the last weekend in January — Saturday, January 24 and Sunday, January 25.

"We've been going to race on Norway Lake for 10 years," says Keith "Woody" Wood, owner of Woody's Performance Center, in Topsham.  Last year, Wood set an event record by running his 2005 Yamaha RX-1 Turbo across the ice at 152 miles per hour.

"Norway's Snowfest is a nice, family-friendly atmosphere," he says.  "That's what I like about it.  It's a fun event and the chowder is the best.  Heck, I go [to the Norway Snowfest] just for the food."

Snowfest is hosted by the Norway Trackers Snowmobile Club and looks to be bigger then ever this year, despite national economic woes, with machines of all makes and models roaring down the ice to the delight of spectators lined along the shore.

"The economy hasn't affected us too much this year," says Trackers President Richard Mowatt.  "I think people will find money most of the time for recreation."

More importantly, those who do venture out should find the lake primed for some serious racing, in both drag racing and beat-the-clock versions.

"The weather's supposed to come off good and cold this week," say Mowatt.  "It should be 'good ice.'"

Already, Mowatt says, Norway Lake is frozen over with a 10-inch layer of ice, a far cry from two years ago when Snowfest had to be delayed into February before it was safe to go out on the lake.

There's no danger then of this year’s event being bumped from its traditional time slot, and that's good, because Snowfest is an important event for the Trackers.  According to Mowatt, the club spends almost $25,000 annually to maintain nearly 70 trail miles in Norway. 

As their biggest fundraiser of the year, Snowfest generally brings in about half of what club members need to do that work.  The club's next biggest source of revenue, a portion of snowmobile registrations, only comes to $2,700.

"This is the fundraiser for the year," says Mowatt.  "Without this event, we would not have enough to maintain and operate the groomers, or buy materials." 

Almost $15,000 is spent each year by the Trackers on fuel and maintenance for its trail groomer, a 1976 Tucker Sno-Cat. 

"The old girl runs real well, it's just takes some maintenance," says Mowatt.  "I spent $3,600 in the last week, just in parts."

The balance of the Trackers' money is spent on cutting back brush — members usually begin work as early as September — ditching and excavating, and maintaining bridges.  This year, for example, club members rebuilt six bridges.

"All of the labor is volunteer," says Mowatt.  "No one gets paid for doing any of that."

Also unpaid are the club members who help to stage Snowfest, which, like the sport, brings untold thousands into the area every year, making a significant impact on the local economy.

"It's astronomical," says Mowatt.  "I mean, we do what we do just because we enjoy it, but the majority of the trail use is by others [from outside the Oxford Hills]. 

"If you go up to the [Norway Lake] boat landing on a Saturday or Sunday during the winter, the place is packed," says Mowatt, pointing to parking areas at Patch Mountain and  Nobles Corner as other places to look for out-of-state plates.

"We do take real good care of our trails," says Mowatt.  "We take a lot of pride in our work and I think the results show in the number of people who come here to ride.

"We've had a lot of people from Massachusetts and New York send us a little bit of money, because the trail system here is so nice," says Mowatt.  "We've also had people from Falmouth, Portland, and other places who used to go to North Rangeley, or Millinocket, or wherever, because they had the big groomers.  But they've unloaded here at some point and they just come here now."

All that work takes money though, and Snowfest is a fun way to fund club coffers, benefiting both the riders and the local economy.

"I'm sure it brings a good deal of money into the area," says Norway Town Manager David Holt.  "A lot of people come every year, up on the lake and in the area, who spend their money here.

"But it's also good for the area in other ways," says Holt.  "Winters can be long up here, if nobody's noticed, and this tends to break it up.  It gives a lot of people something to look forward to, to get out and have some fun.  A lot of people tell me every year how much they enjoy it."

First up for this year's event is single elimination snowmobile drag racing, which kicks off Saturday, January 24.  There will be several classes of competition, including stock, improved stock, modified and open.

Registration starts at 9 a.m. and requires a $10 entry fee.  Drivers in all events must be at least 18 years old and wear basic safety equipment, including a helmet.  Racing on the 660-foot-long race course kicks off at 10:15 a.m., sharp.

“Grudge matches,” in which drivers pick an opponent to face off against, will begin at 2 p.m., “time permitting.”  There is a $5 entry fee for these races, and participants can register right up until start time.

During the day Saturday, the Trackers will have a variety of snacks and beverages on the ice to keep festival-goers warm, including coffee, hot chocolate, burgers and hot dogs.

Then, on Sunday, the Trackers will dish up their annual chowder fest, beginning at 11 a.m. inside their "clubhouse," also known as The Little Red School House, on Route 118. 

One of the highlights of the weekend, the menu usually includes corn, fish, salmon and clam chowders, along with beef stew, chili, breads and desserts.  It’s “all you can eat” at $7 for adults and $3 for children under 12.

Racers also return on Sunday, January 25, to stare down “the gun.”  Entries for the annual Radar Run will be taken in all classes from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., with attempts against the clock, at $5 each, staged as soon as the first driver takes the line.

Also on the docket for Sunday is the antique snowmobile show, for machines more than 25 years old.  A parade is planned for noon, but entrants can register their antiques for spectator-selected trophies until 2 p.m. 

Trophies are given in all categories in the drag and radar races, as well as for the fastest sled, overall.  The awards, from Lake Region Trophy, in Norway, also include a prize for the slowest sled, almost invariably "won" by one of the antiques.

A common game, for young and old alike, is to try and guess which among the older sleds really is as slow as it looks.

The Oxford Hills Snowfest is a must-see event for locals, visitors, and anyone else who loves being outdoors this time of year in the picturesque Western Maine foothills.

Event sponsors for this year's Snowfest include Pine Tree Paving, A&W Paving, White's Marina and Ken's Yamaha, the latter of which plans to have new machines on the ice ready for demo rides.  If you're thinking of buying a snowmobile, Snowfest is the perfect place to take one for a test drive.

But even if you're "just looking" Snowfest offers your chance to step into all the fun and excitement winter has to offer.