By Chad Neal
Well, it’s that time of year where “all the fake snow is put back into storage” and the folks that help carpet the hills with the slippery substance can take a rest. But before they can take it too easy, the town wants to show their appreciation by throwing the annual epic party called the Snowmakers Ball!
Beginning before it gets cold, these hard-working snowmakers prep the pipes and gauges and schematics of the hills so they can make sure all of the manmade precipitation they pump through the system at Holiday Valley and HoliMont lies on the slopes just right. The evolution has made it a little easier on the grunts out there as the systems can be manipulated from a phone if need be. In the past they’d have to run hoses and move the machines manually. Not to say they don’t work their butts off, even though the art of making snow has become much easier within the past few decades. They get out there and dig in the snow and fix leaks and work on the machinery that you hear whirring on those quiet winter nights in the distance, and much more.
Without the snowmakers out there, Ellicottville wouldn’t be able to prosper as it does in the winter. The snow on the slopes is what draws the visitors in the winter. So, in order to show their gratitude, which they most definitely deserve, a large feast and benefit will be held at Villaggio on Thursday April 20th (4/20). Snacks and dishes from just about every joint in town will be served to the general public while the cash bar will be pouring cheer. Live entertainment as well as basket raffles, a 50/50 and a caricature artist will be on hand drawing cartoons for everyone who wants one, free of charge – but tip the guy!
The party starts at 5pm and goes on until 9pm. All are welcome and admission is free. Villaggio and most of the restaurants in town will serve a buffet of great food and J.P. O’Connell will be slinging tasty cocktails and probably shots – if you know any of the snowmakers, you know most of them love shots, especially after a shift on that cold hill- and the rest of the staff will be working too, to make the evening another one to remember. Prizes and baskets filled with great items will be taken home by lucky attendees and the entertainment will be memorable.
Caricature artist Eric Jones will be set up making drawings of all who want to see their cartoon face on paper. An alumnus of Alfred University, Jones is a very talented artist who sculpts and carves as well as having won Food Network’s “Outrageous Pumpkin” carving contest in their 2022 competition. The audio entertainment that evening will be Tim Britt, who will be playing from 5:30pm-8:30pm, filling the atmosphere with some funky sounds. Britt is a singer, guitarist and songwriter from Utica, NY who delves into modern/ alternative and folk music. Above all, just getting to know the snowmakers is quite entertaining. They love to answer questions like, “Where do you store the snow at the end of the season?” and they have good tales to tell, too.
An evening during “mud season” at Villaggio, where everyone definitely be having a good time. And as Andrea Austin, General Manager at Villaggio told The Villager, “At previous Snowmakers Balls a lot of people would show up, but I think many thought it was for snowmakers only. I would like a good turnout and to let everyone know that all are welcome!” She also wanted to say, “Thank you to the mountain crews from both Holiday Valley and HoliMont for one of the best seasons yet, especially with how little snow we had!”