Event of the Month

Pinetop-Lakeside's Winterfest Spells Two Days of Fun, Snow, and Scenery

With one hour to go in the snow-sculpture contest, it is difficult to tell who is having more fun, the adults or the children. One thing is sure. The kids think big.Starting each sculpture from a personal snow pile at least eight feet high, groups of kids have carved out towering castles, magnificent farm critters, a massive Western fort, and a monstrous sea turtle that is about to devour a Lamborghini. This last unlikely sculpture neatly underlines the basic point and joy of snow sculptures: all things are possible.

The contest is just one element of the Pinetop-Lakeside Winterfest, an annual two-day celebration of snow and spectacular mountain scenery.

Earlier the festival kicked off with a "hare and hound" balloon race in which hot-air balloons drifted over snowy meadows, tall pines, and herds of elk and deer. Then came a packed schedule of cross-country ski races and, my favorite, a snow softball tournament.

Snow softball generates a lot more good fun than baseball, sledding, and swimming combined. Although the game follows softball rules and uses a regulation ball - painted orangethe snow causes some hilarious warps in the play. For instance, infielders often need a shovel to "field" ground balls, and base runners who slide headfirst have to judge not only the length of their slide but the depth. Those who go too deep are called "snorkelers," and at the end of the tournament the best snorkeler gets a trophy.

Now, however, the multicategory snow-sculpture contest is nearing its climax. Here's a kiva-style fireplace plastered with an "adobe" mix of dirt and snow. And it includes such details as firewood, fireplace tools, and a built-in bench. It is not only beautiful, it looks real enough to warm my hands by.

Other snow sculptures have shaped up nicely, too. Here's an outrageous reclining rabbit, more than 12 feet long and eight feet wide, snacking on carrots and lettuce. The rabbit's creator, a cheerful eight-yearold girl is carefully applying pink food coloring to the giant rabbit's nose.

more than 12 feet long and eight feet wide, snacking on carrots and lettuce. The rabbit's creator, a cheerful eight-yearold girl is carefully applying pink food coloring to the giant rabbit's nose.

Finally the judges award first-place to the organizers of the local Frontier Days festival, who sculpted a five-foot-high log cabin.

After the snow-sculpture contest, everyone retires to the high school football field for an hour of tethered hot-air balloon rides. When darkness falls, the balloon pilots deflate their rigs and rush to the country club where they unroll the balloon envelopes flat on the ground, reinflate them, and tip them up with blasts of hot air. Soon the dark balloons stand more than six stories high, giant shadows bobbing eerily in the night.

Then the magic starts. The balloon pilots randomly ignite their gas burners in noisy bursts. The flames illuminate the colorful balloons making them glow like huge surreal fireflies in the night sky. "Ahhh," choruses the appreciative audience.

The Winterfest's culminating event combines an art show and wine and cheese tasting, held inside the clubhouse, where a folksinger plays while the festival-goers sample refreshments.

I tour the works of art lining the walls and choose a favorite for the People's Choice balloting: a pencil drawing called "Soul of the Wolf," a close-up of two unimaginably expressive canine eyes. "Soul of the Wolf" is captivating. And so, I've discovered, is the Winterfest.

WHEN YOU GO

Pinetop-Lakeside's Winterfest '94 will be held Saturday and Sunday, January 22 and 23 (call to confirm). To get there from Phoenix, take State Route 87 northeast to Payson, State Route 260 east to Show Low, then State Route 73 south to PinetopLakeside. The total distance is about 180 miles. Be prepared for snow and winter conditions.For more information, contact Pinetop-Lakeside Parks and Recreation Department, 1360 N. Niels Hansen Lane, Box 30, Pinetop-Lakeside, AZ 85929; (602) 368-6700.