BUTTE - Organizers of Butte’s Snoflinga didn’t want a lack of snow or the pandemic to completely wipe out its annual winter festival.
So the event will continue this weekend in a moderate way.
"It was a rough year for everyone. We lost all of our festivals and parades starting with St. Patrick’s Day, and winter’s long and hard in Butte, Montana, so we wanted to still bring something to the community that would still get people outside,” said Snoflinga organizer Jenny Heglund.
The event will feature free ice skating at all of Butte’s outdoor rinks, and some virtual events where people can go online at the Snoflinga website and learn about winter activities.
“Having some virtual events where you can tune in and learn about avalanche safety or curling,” said Heglund.
There will be curling lessons Saturday at 10 in the morning at the rink off Silver Street, snow shoe tours and other events showcasing Butte’s trail system.
“People love the trails, getting outside cross country skiing. We have trails all over; we’re fortunate to have Homestake Lodge with all the trails they have, so this is a great place to be in winter if you like winter activities,” said Bob Lazzari with Parks and Recreation.
Snoflinga may not be as organized an event this year, but they still want people to still enjoy the spirit of getting outdoors.
“We still want people to get outside, be active, enjoy winter and celebrate community, but we want you to do it safely and responsibly,” said Heglund.
Snoflinga organizers say they plan to be back bigger and better next year.
