By Carol Fisher-Linn
In today’s world, skiers can always have plenty of fun, but how do they compete with the elaborate affair on the hill during Winter Carnival in the “old days?” These zany pioneers had tables covered in cloth tablecloths, fine silver, silver candelabras, huge silver trays filled with delicious, probably homemade goodies and vases of flowers completing the “ambiance.” Imagine sitting at those tables enjoying your pancakes, sausages and freshly made maple syrup. That is exactly what they did.
candelabras, huge silver trays fi lled with delicious, probably homemade
goodies and vases of fl owers completing the “ambiance.” Imagine sitting
at those tables enjoying your pancakes, sausages and freshly made maple
syrup. That is exactly what they did
After sixty-seven years, it’s obvious that the folks involved in the Ellicottville Ski Club continue to entertain and share the delights of the winter season at Holiday Valley Resort. Edna Northrup, in her classic book, For the Love of Skiing, written with her pal, Lillian Congden, states “From the beginning, the Ellicottville Ski Club brought the drive and enthusiasm for torchlight parades, ice sculpture competitions and spring festivals to give thanks for hearty winters.” Now, Edna knew a thing or two about skiing and Holiday Valley as a co-founder of the resort. She had a remarkable sense of adventure and fun and was quick to join in anything that involved either.
The events that are enjoyed today during the Winter Carnival are the Snowbar, the cookouts, a Putt-Putt bar crawl throughout the lodges to see who comes up with the lowest score. The Duel-Beer/Rootbeer slalom is always challenging. Competitors race with a cup of liquid, get to the finish and chug what’s left. (ID required for beer). The first one with an empty cup wins. A real favorite is the ski patrol toboggan event. Patrollers from Holiday Valley and HoliMont use their skills to work as a team, with one person “riding” in the toboggan, to navigate a pre-set course to see which team can do it the fastest. While you watch there is always wine and cheese to enjoy. Most of the food treats serve as fundraisers. Please be generous.
For the kiddoes there is a scavenger hunt, face painting, hot dogs and ice cream sundaes at Creekside.
Any reason was the best reason to dress up for these ‘60’s revelers so they showed up in the most colorful and outlandish costumes, which created the need for a parade on the slopes. The parade continues today but doesn’t end as it used to with the burning of Old Man Winter on the slopes. As I said, they were crazier back then, with fewer safety mandates and restrictions. A truly hilarious substitute is the annual Dummy Downhill which takes place on Sunday at 2:30 after the parade. It may be called “Dummy” downhill but truly one must be quite clever and wicked smart to be able to create a skiing dummy which will make it from the top to the bottom of the course (including a jump!) in one piece, or close. For once in your life, you can cheer for the dummy and not feel like a dummy.
In 1991 it seemed logical that some of this on-the-hill fun would be brought down to the village streets. Doesn’t everyone hold a parade in the middle of winter, at night, on a state road? Only in Ellicottville! Ever since then, locals and visitors alike can join in the crazy fun on the main street in Ellicottville. Bring your slicker and dress warm. March weather in Ellicottville is predictably unpredictable. This year the parade is Saturday, March 8 beginning at 6pm at Katy’s Restaurant marching to the gazebo. You don’t want to miss it. And be sure to cheer on your very special King and Queen who have already left their mark on Ellicottville without being old folks! Come to the parade and see who has this special honor this year.
Bring your beads and stuff a can of chili or stew (and a generous check made out to United Church of Ellicottville Food Pantry) in your coat pocket to drop into the baskets of the Holiday Valley Ski Patrollers who march along with the parade route in their Ski Patrol jackets, collecting items for the Ellicottville Food Pantry. It’s a wonderful thing.
(For even more in-depth information on the event check out Jane Eshbaugh’s article on page 5.)