Winterguide 2012

Auburn Winter Festival, Auburn. 3-on-3 pond hockey tournament, ice sculpture creations, big air competitions, snowshoe race, snowmobiling, family snowman time, skating, and ski challenge, Jan. 27-Feb. 5. 333-6601 auburnmaine.org

B-52 Commemorative Snowmobile Ride, Greenville. Ride to the wreckage site of the B-52
that crashed into Elephant Mountain in 1963. Spaghetti lunch, 12pm; Ride, 1pm. Jan. 21.
695-4561 mooseheadriders.org

The Banff Centre SnowDays, an exciting new festival that celebrates all that is wonderful about winter. Building on past traditions and establishing new ones, you can expect a variety of ways to play and enjoy Banff and The Banff Centre with fun weekend events and mid-week festivities. Jan. 14–Feb. 12. 1-800-413-8368 banffcentre.ca/events/listings/by-category/snow-days.mvc

Can-Am Crown Sled Dog Races, Fort Kent. 20th year of the famous 250-mi. race with a purse of $29K. There will also be 30-mi. and 60-mi. races. The 250-mi. race is a qualifier for the Iditarod and the Yukon Quest, Mar. 3. 444-5439 can-am.sjv.net

Caribou Winter Carnival, Caribou. Snow sculptures, Kiwanis Keystone Kops, ski race, snowmobile events, music, and a chocolate festival sponsored by the Caribou Children’s Discovery Museum, Outhouse and canoe races, couch potato biathlon. Feb.18-26. 493-4224 cariboumaine.net

Rangeley Snodeo 2012,Thursday chili chowder cook-off, casino night. Friday: family
ride, welcome event, open house. Saturday: radar run, poker run, turkey bowling, Boss Power
Equipment hosts “Rave X Outer Limits Tour,” snowmobile parade, fireworks. Jan 19-21st.
864-5343 bosspowerequipment.com

Moose Country Safaris and Eco Tours, Sangerville. Backcountry guide Ed Mathieu offers snowshoeing, ice fishing, and bird watching tours. 876-4907 moosecountrysafaris.com

Moosehead Lake Region Snofest, Greenville. Ice Fishing Derby, Jan. 27, 6am; 7th annual Wilderness Sled Dog Race, Feb. 4, 695-2421; Snowfest week: Chili, Chowder & More! Cookoff, Feb. 17, 695-4561; 8th Annual Chocolate Festival, Feb. 19, 695-2702. mooseheadlake.org

Mushers Bowl Winter Carnival, Bridgton. Sled dog races, skijoring, sleigh rides, ping pong tournament, snowmobile rides, polar dip, dodge ball tournament, nature hike, sing and ski, dance, ice fishing contest, snowshoe hikes, baked bean dinner, chowder and chili feed, après skiing events, and an awards ceremony. Jan. 21-22. 647-3472 mainelakesmushersbowl.com

Naples Winter Carnival, Naples. Begins with torch light snowmobile parade Friday night, helicopter rides, radar runs, horse and buggy rides, ice fishing derby, fireworks, bonfire, poker rally, vendors on the ice, and lots of activities for kids. Feb. 10-12. 318-6965 muddyriversnoseekers.org

Old Orchard Beach Winter Carnival, Old Orchard Beach. Sleigh rides, sledding down Old Orchard Street, kids games, music & other crazy winter fun, and human dog sled race! Happy hour pub-crawl on Saturday from 5:30-7pm. Some places will be offering a discount on beverages if you wear a Winter Carnival button. Feb. 24-25. 281-2114 oob365.com

Oxford Hills Snowfest, Norway. Hosted by Norway Trackers Snowmobile Club on Lake Pennesseewassee. Snowmobile drag racing, radar runs, antique snowmobile parade, and food on the ice. Jan. 28-29. 527-2649 norwaytrackers.com

Snofest Week, Greenville, Snowmobile fun, including winter cook-in/cook-out and chili/chowder cook-off, marshmallow roast, Feb. 17-24. 695-4543 mooseheadriders.org

22nd Annual U.S. National Toboggan Championships, Camden. 400 teams from across the country come to compete. Other activities include battle of the bands, downtown fireworks, mechanical bull rides, and chili-and-chowder challenge, Feb. 10-12. 236-3438 camdensnowbowl.com

White White World Week, Sugarloaf, Carrabassett Valley. Nightly Theme Parties, Live Music, Contests, Races, Kings, Queens, plus Daily Apres Parties and so much more. Mark your calendar and don’t miss the wackiest party week that the ski industry has to boast. Jan. 22-26. 237-2000 sugarloaf.com

Ski Guide ’12

10th Mountain Center, Fort Kent. Over 40 km of cross-country trails for all skill levels, lodging, night skiing, biathlon facilities, and free use of buildings and grounds. 834-6203 10thmtskiclub.org

Baker Mountain Ski Area, Bingham. 460-foot vertical drop, T-bar, night skiing, ski school.
Nonprofit and volunteer-run. 612-9300 visitmaine.net/skiareas.htm

The Bethel Inn Resort, Bethel. Nordic Ski & Snowshoe Center with 30 km of cross-country trails, 15+ km of snowshoe trails, 10 km of competition trails with skating lanes and tracks, kids sleigh rides, and guided snowshoe tours. 824-6276 bethelinn.com

Big Rock Ski Area, Mars Hill. 980-foot vertical drop, 27 trails, triple chair, double chair, poma, carpet, handle tow, night skiing, cross-country skiing, 80 percent snow-making,
800-foot snow tubing park, and expanded terrain park. 425-6711 bigrockmaine.com

Birches Ski Touring Center, Rockwood. Snowshoeing, snowmobiling, cross-country
skiing, ice fishing, scenic plane rides, guided winter tours, and three warming huts.
800-825-9453 birches.com/winter

Black Mountain, Rumford. 1,150-foot vertical drop, 20 trails, triple chair, double chair, T-bar, 2 handle tows, night skiing, cross-country skiing, 95 percent snow-making, tubing runs, and 300-foot half-pipe. 364-8977 skiblackmountain.org

Camden Snow Bowl, Camden. 850-foot vertical drop, 12 trails, double chair, 2 T-bars,
handle tow, night skiing, 45 percent snow-making, 3 new glades, tubing, snowshoe trails. 236-3438 camdensnowbowl.com

Carter’s XC Ski Centers and Shop, 35 km of trails in Oxford, 50 km of trails in Bethel. Beginner to advanced trails, snowshoeing, and trail-side lodging available. Also lodges, snack bars, warming huts, views of mountain ranges and rivers. 539-4848 (Oxford), 824-3880 (Bethel) cartersxcski.com

Five Fields Farm, Bridgton. Views at 850-foot elevation, 27 km of trails, backcountry access to Bald Pate Mt. summit, warming hut, and snowshoe trails. 647-2425 fivefieldsski.com/xc_skiing.htm

Harris Farm XC Ski Center, Dayton. 40 km of groomed trails for classical or skate skiing, snow-shoeing, and sledding hill. Dogs allowed mid-week, snack bar on weekends.
499-2678 harrisfarm.com/skiing.html

Hermon Mountain, Herman. 350-foot vertical drop, 20 trails, double chair, T-bar, handle tow, night skiing, 100 percent snow-making, half-pipe, and tubing park. 848-5192 skihermonmountain.com

Lonesome Pine Trails, Fort Kent. 500-foot vertical drop, 13 trails, night skiing, 60 percent snow-making, alpine and Nordic skiing on the Canadian border, and half-pipe. 834-5202 lonesomepines.org

Lost Valley, Auburn. 240-foot vertical drop, 17 trails, 2 double chairs, night skiing, cross-country skiing, 100 percent snow-making, PSIA Certified Ski School. 784-1561 lostvalleyski.com

Maine Handicapped Skiing, Newry. Free winter recreation for children and adults with physical disabilities at four of Maine’s finest ski resorts: alpine skiing and snowboarding at Sunday River, Sugarloaf, and Saddleback; Nordic skiing and snowshoeing at Sunday River Inn and Cross Country Ski Center and Pineland Farms. (800) 639-7770 skimhs.org

Millinocket Municipal X-C Ski Areas, Millinocket. 23 km of groomed trails, 20 km of ungroomed trails. The Bait Hole offers skiing loops and snowshoe trails with views of Mt. Katahdin. Northern Timber Cruisers Clubhouse offers cross-country ski trails with loops up to 14 km and a warming hut. 723-4329 northerntimbercruisers.com

Mt. Abram, Greenwood. 1,150-foot vertical drop, 44 trails and glades, 2 double chairs, T-bar, surface lift, carpet, 85 percent snow-making, 550 acres, 3 terrain parks, new snow-making gun, longest tubing park, and weekend community racing. 875-5000 mtabram.com

Mt. Jefferson, Lee. 432-foot vertical drop, 12 trails, 2 T-bars, handle tow, ski lessons, rentals, views of Mt. Katahdin. 738-2377 skimtjefferson.com

Nordic Heritage Center, Presque Isle. 20 kmof ski trails, 2.5 km of lighted trails, paved roller ski loop, terrain park, lodge with sauna, and wax building. Trails free of charge.
762-6972 nordicheritagecenter.org

Oxford Plains Snow Tubing, Oxford. T-bar, 100 percent snow-making, 4 lanes, snack bar trailer. Oldest tubing hill in Maine. 539-8865 oxfordplains.com

Pineland Farms, New Gloucester. 10 trails, Nordic skiing, skating, sledding, snowshoeing,
and dry-land Nordic ski training and ice skating. 688-6599 pinelandfarms.org

Quoggy Jo Ski Center, Presque Isle. 215-foot vertical drop, T-bar, 5 trails, natural half-pipe with grind rails, first-time skier area, and Nordic and biathlon center. 764-3248 mainewsc.org

Rangeley Lakes X-C Ski Trails, Rangeley. 55 km of trails for cross-country skiing, groomed for both classic and skate. Rental equipment, and food and beverages at the lodge.
864-4309 xcskirangeley.com

Saddleback, Rangeley. 2,000-foot vertical drop, 66 trails and glades, 2 quads, 2 double
chairs, T-bar, 85 percent snow-making, lodge, terrain park. Casablanca: 44 acres of ungroomed tree skiing, w/ chutes, steeps, and tight lines. 864-5671 saddlebackmaine.com

Seacoast Snow Park, Windham. 100-foot vertical drop, carpet lift, 12 lanes of tubing, 100 percent snow-making. Also fire pit, arcade, and coffee shop. 892-5952 seacoastfunparks.com

Shawnee Peak, Bridgton. 1,300-foot vertical drop, 42 trails and glades, quad, 2 triple chairs, double chair, carpet, night skiing, 99 percent snow-making, 2 terrain parks, a new summit triple lift featuring a conveyer loading system, and views of Mt. Washington. 647-8444 shawneepeak.com

Smiling Hill Farm, Westbrook. Over 25 km of trails, cross-country skiing, rentals, hot beverages, ice cream, and snacks. 775-4818 smilinghill.com

Spruce Mountain, Jay. 300-foot vertical drop, 11 trails, night skiing, cross-country skiing, 50 percent snow-making, and ski classes for all ages. 897-4090 sprucemountain.org

Sugarloaf, Carrabassett Valley. 2,820-foot vertical drop, 134 trails, 4 quads (2 high-speed), triple chair, 8 double chairs, T-bar, carpet, cross-country skiing, 95 percent snow-making, Olympic-size superpipe, terrain parks, tubing park, zip lines, antigravity complex with skate park, gym, and trampolines. New terrain expansions on Burnt Mt., opening up 270 acres of glades and terrain. 237-2000 sugarloaf.com

Sunday River, Bethel. 2,340-foot vertical drop, 132 trails, Chondola, 9 quads (4 high-speed),
3 triple chairs, 2 double chairs, handle, carpet, 92 percent snow-making, night skiing, ice skating, lodge, 4 terrain parks, superpipe, and minipipe. 824-3000 sundayriver.com

Titcomb Mountain, West Farmington. 340-foot vertical drop, 15 trails, 2 T-bars, handle tow, night skiing, 75 percent snow-making, terrain park, and 16 km of groomed Nordic trails.
Student passes for $10 on Sa. 4-8pm. 778-9031 titcombmountain.com

–Compiled by Moriah Duval, Kim Morse, Michael Smisek

Theater

Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine, 142 Free St., Portland. Wiley and the Hairy Man. Feb.-Mar. 828-1234 kitetails.org

City Theater, 205 Main St., Biddeford. Christmas: The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Feb. 17-26. 282-0849 citytheater.org

Good Theater, 76 Congress St., Portland. Next Fall, Jan. 25-Feb. 19. 885-5883 goodtheater.com

Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle St., Portland. Mama Mia!, National Broadway Tour, Jan. 12-14; Golden Dragon Acrobats, Mar. 9; Trey McIntyre Project, Mar. 22; Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, April 24. 842-0800 porttix.com

Penobscot Theatre Company, 131 Main St., Bangor. Boeing-Boeing, Feb. 8-26; Ink, Mar. 28-April 15. 942-3333 penobscottheatre.org

Portland Ovations, Westbrook Performing Arts center, Westbrook. CiRCA, Feb. 2.
842.0800 portlandovations.org

Portland Players, 420 Cottage Rd., South Portland. A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Jan. 13-Jan. 29. 799-7337 portlandplayers.org

Portland Stage, 25A Forest Ave., Portland. Trouble is my Business, Jan. 24- Feb. 19. 774-0465 portlandstage.org

The Theater Project, 14 School St., Brunswick. Circle Mirror Transformation, Jan. 20- Feb. 19; Winter Cabaret, Jan. 20-Feb. 19. 729-8584 theaterproject.com

University of Southern Maine Theater, Russell Hall, Gorham. Eurydice, Feb. 2- 5.
780-5151 usm.maine.edu/theater

Music

Dogfish Bar and Grille, 128 Free St., Portland. Live jazz and blues bands every Fri and Sat evening. 772-5483 thedogfishbarandgrille.com

Empire Dine and Dance, 575 Congress St., Portland. The Couch, open mic, every Su; The Stowaways, bluegrass, every M. Chaz Lester Trio, jazz, every Tu. 879-8988 portlandempire.com

One Longfellow Square, 181 State St., Portland. Garnet Rogers, Jan. 13; George Cole Quintet, Jan. 14; The Portland Jazz Orchestra, Jan. 19; The Coloradas CD Release, Jan. 20; Ronnie Earl & the Broadcasters, Jan. 21; Tracey Grammer & Dan Navarro, Jan. 27; Willie Nile, Jan. 28; The Jon Herington Band, Jan. 29; Decompression Chamber Music Season #4, Jan. 30. 761-1757 onelongfellowsquare.com

Port City Music Hall, 504 Congress St., Portland. 207 Nightlife Presents: A Night of Dubstep & Electronic Music with DJ Dirty Dek and Remote Kontrol, Jan. 13; Soul Rebels Brass Band Mardi Gras Party, Feb 16. 899-4990 portcitymusichall.com

Space Gallery, 538 Congress St., Portland. O Death and Brown Bird, Americana folk rock, Jan. 27; Thurston Moore, Sonic Youth front man’s solo project, acoustic rock. Jan. 30. 828-5600 space538.org

State Theatre, 609 Congress St., Portland. Machine Head, Jan. 26; Jack’s Mannequin, Feb. 2; An Evening with Peter Frampton, Feb. 7; Jonny Lang, Feb. 17; The Black Keys, Mar. 16.
956-6000 statetheatreportland.com

Stone Mountain Arts Center, 695 Dug Way Road, Brownfield. Aimee Mann, Jan. 18; Marc Cohn Trio, Jan. 20; Livingston Taylor, Jan. 21; Paula Cole, Jan. 28. 935-7292 carolnoonanmusic.com

Women in Harmony, 202 Woodford St., Portland. “Still I Rise.” Jan. 21-22. wihmaine.org

Galleries

Art Gallery at UNE, Westbrook College Campus, 716 Stevens Ave., Portland. Faces of War: Photographs by Gerald Robinov of Returning Veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan, through Feb. 12.221-4490 une.edu/artgallery

Center for Maine Contemporary Art, 162 Russell Ave., Rockport. Around the House:
17 Maine Photographers, through Jan. 28. 236-2875 cmcanow.org

Dyer Library-Saco Museum, 371 Main St., Saco. Rugs All Marked Out: Biddeford’s
Edwards S. Frost, Jan. 13-Mar 24; Hooked Rugs from Artists of “The Maine Tin Pedlar,” Jan. 13-Mar. 24. 283-3861 dyerlibrarysacomuseum.org

Farnsworth Art Museum, 16 Museum St., Rockland. Paul Caponigro: The Hidden Presence of Places, through Jan. 15. 596-6457 farnsworthmuseum.org

First Friday Art Walk, downtown Portland. Visit local galleries, studios, and museums.
Feb. 3. firstfridayartwalk.com

Palmina S. And Stephen F. Pace Galleries, 18 Bradley Street, Fryeburg. John Hultberg and Monhegan Island: The Man, The Place, and His Dreams. Through Jan. 21. 935-9232 fryeburgacademy.org/pac

Institute of Contemporary Art, Maine College of Art, 522 Congress St., Portland. Michael Bell Smith, Jan. 25-Apr. 8. 775-3052 meca.edu

Maine Historical Society Museum, 489 Congress St., Portland. Dressing Up, Standing Out, Fitting In: Adornment and Identity in Maine, 1750-1950, through May 27. 774-1822 mainehistory.org

Portland Museum of Art, 7 Congress Sq., Portland. The Dorothy and Herbert Vogel Collection: Fifty Works for Maine, through Jan. 29; Gather Up the Fragments: The Andrews Shaker Collection, through Feb. 5; Making Faces: Photographic Portraits of
Actors and Artists, Jan. 14-April 8; Tonja Alexia Hollander: Are You Really My Friend? Feb. 4.
775-6148 portlandmuseum.org

Portland Public Library, Lewis Gallery, 5 Monument Sq., Portland. Port of Portland:
A Ship-Shaped History. Through May 13. 871-1700 portlandlibrary.com; maine.aiga.org

Space Gallery, 538 Congress St., Portland. Dragonslayer, a documentary film addressing the collapse of the US economy through the personal trials of a young Californian punk rocker, Jan. 10; Future Shorts Festival, Jan. 20; Urbanized, a documentary on architectural and functional design of cities, Jan. 24. .828-5600 space538.org

Tasty Events

Browne Trading Company, 260 Commercial St., Portland. Wine tasting every third Th, 5-7pm.775-7560 brownetrading.com

Mardi Gras Ball, 156 State St., Portland. New Orleans-style cuisine, music, and dancing with the Cajun Aces in The Portland Club ballroom to benefit Holy Cross School. 6pm, Feb. 18. mardigrasportland.com

Old Port Wine Merchants, 223 Commercial St., Portland. Wine tasting every third W, 4-7:30pm. 772-9463 oldportwine.com

RSVP, 887 Forest Ave., Portland. Wine tasting every second W, 4-7pm. 773-8808

Salt Exchange, 245 Commercial St., Portland. Spirit tastings, last W of every month.
347-5687 thesaltexchange.net

The West End Deli & Catering, 133 Spring St., Portland. Wine tastings every first F, 6-8pm.
874-6426 thewestenddeli.com

Don’t Miss

56 Annual Progressive Insurance New England Boat Show, Boston Convention and Exhibition Center., Boston. Feb. 11-19. newenglandboatshow.com

Craft and Critique, Portland. UNE Maine Women Writers Collection, advanced writing workshop. Application and writing sample required. Wed. evenings, Jan. 11-Mar. 1. 221-4334, une.edu/mwwc

Deering Oaks Park, Portland. WinteRush, family outdoor winter festival featuring fort-building, snowshoeing, and a ski/snowboard contest in Monument Square, Feb. 11-12. winterush.com

The Landing at Pine Point, 353 Pine Point Rd., Scarborough. Winter Carnival, tasting events, dance parties, and a Superbowl Tailgate event with big screens and a buffet.
Feb. 3-5. 774-4527 thelandingatpinepoint.com

Lucid Stage, 29 Baxter Blvd., Portland. Celebrate the New Year with music, food, a white elephant sale, bake sale, and a raffle. Jan. 14. lucidstage.com

Tour Busters, 251 US Route 1, Falmouth. Experience culture with vacation bus tours. New York City, Warwick Hotel, Broadway show ticket of your choice, Jan. 14-16; Boston, American Idiot matinee, Jan. 28; Quebec Winter Carnival, Loews le Concorde Hotel, pass, and brunch, Feb. 10-12; Boston, The Addams Family matinee, Feb. 18-19; Miami-Key West, Feb. 24-Mar. 5; Boston, Shear Madness, Mar. 11; Boston, Bruins vs. Flyers, Mar. 17; Boston Flower & Garden Show, Mar. 18; New Orleans, Mar. 23-Apr. 2; Boston, Les Miserables, Mar. 24. 781-8896 tourbusters.com

–Compiled by Jeanee Dudley