PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — A large crowd turned out Saturday to watch the events of the 2nd annual SnowBowl that was almost canceled due to mild temperatures.
Business partners Troy Haney and Jim Gamage worked together along with their families to make the 2nd annual SnowBowl go on as close to plan as possible.
It took around 650 truck loads of snow to build the snocross race track in the Aroostook Centre Mall parking lot in a single day on Thursday, Feb. 29, according to Gamage. The plowed snow came from the mall’s parking lots that had built up from previous snowfall to make a compact track even in mild temperatures.
“We needed a very unique property that we could gate off an area, but also have enough accumulated snow that had been plowed up because that was the only thing surviving the rain,” Haney said.
A permit was secured just in time from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife with Aviest Engineering designing the race track. The snow was brought in from Williams Trucking and Construction, Dick St. Peter Construction, and Outlaw.
Haney and Gamage looked at other possible venues to host the SnowBowl like the Air Force Base in Limestone and Skyway Plaza in Caribou but they ended up calling Aroostook Centre Mall owner Dana Cassidy last Wednesday, who readily agreed to host the SnowBowl.
“We had done major improvements over last year and we spent all the way up until Wednesday afternoon,” Haney said.
Around 200 loads of snow were brought to Spud Speedway from around the race track and a few farms that had plowed snow. On Wednesday, Feb. 28, the conditions were deemed too muddy and the ground was too soft to support the snowmobile races and stunt show.
“This is a huge thing for people to come out,” Haney said. “We have people here all the way from Massachusetts right now that are spending money in Aroostook County.”
Around 63 Northeast SnoCross snowmobile racers turned out to the track on Saturday’s schedule with snowmobiles maneuvering and leaping through the race track as cars passed by from Mayville St.
Around 35 to 40 vendors turned out for the SnowBowl with some familiar faces from around Aroostook County, Gamage said.
“The support has been great with both Presque Isle, Caribou, and the surrounding communities have come together with a nice community collaboration to bring everybody together,” Gamage said.
A Winter Magic Show was performed by Kent Axellat the Caribou Arts Center as part of the SnowBowl on Friday, March 1.
The schedule for the SnowBowl had Northeast SnoCross races going ahead as planned on Saturday at 10 a.m. but the Groomer Rodeo was canceled due to safety concerns.
Sunday, March 2 will feature SnoCross races followed by the vintage sled show, parade, and race.
Correction: This story has been amended to specify the use of plowed snow and to correct the location of Skyway Plaza.
