GREENWOOD — Mt. Abram ski resort will host the third annual Maine Telemark Festival on Saturday, Feb. 7, giving attendees the opportunity to enjoy elements of Alpine and Nordic styles.

Admission is a regular, one-day lift ticket. Skiers interested in trying out Telemark gear are invited to visit the festival tent outside the ski lodge and register for the clinics led by professional ski teachers. Clinic times are 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Krister Rollins, head of the Mt. Abram ski school, said the Telemark style of skiing has “always had a strong presence here at Mt. Abram.”

“The festival always draws a lot of people, because everyone gets a chance to test out the demo gear,” Rollins said. “That’s a fairly rare thing. It’s not economical for most ski shops to carry Telemark gear, since it’s a little more expensive, so whenever this festival comes to Mt. Abram, we get a lot of people interested in trying out the gear.”

While Rollins believes Telemark skiing isn’t necessarily growing, it’s “not diminishing,” he said.

“I think that it’s held its own against Alpine and Nordic skiing,” Rollins said. “You certainly won’t see it surpassing Alpine or Nordic, but it’s become sort of a cultural thing. There’s a solid percentage of skiers interested in Telemark, and I think it’s going to stay that way.”

Rollins said Telemark skiing is also useful if skiers are “going into the boonies. If people are interested in going into un-tracked snow, Telemark is definitely the way to go.”

For the second-consecutive year, the Whitegrass Bluegrass Festival will be held during the festival from noon to 8 p.m. Saturday in the Main Lodge. Among the musicians performing are:

* Noon to 1:30 p.m., Jerks of Grass, a four-piece bluegrass band from Portland, performing in the Westside Lodge.

* Noon to 2 p.m., Grassholes, performing in the Main Lodge.

* 3 to 5 p.m., Jerks of Grass, performing in the Main Lodge.

* 6 to 8 p.m., Milltown Road Show, a three-piece band from Bridgton, performing in the Main Lodge.

For more information, visit http://www.netelemark.com/festivals.htm, or call Mt. Abram at 875-5000.

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