NORWAY — The 9th Annual Norway Snowshoe Festival, on Saturday, Feb. 16, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., will offer snowshoe walks, snowshoe races and snowshoe games for the whole family; the Snowshoe Wife – or Whatever – Carry; a snowshoe fashion show; kids games on snowshoes; a Snowshoe Tug- of-War; and the Mellie Dunham Contra Dance.

Recognized in 2012 by the Maine Downtown Center as a uniquely Maine festival, the Norway Snowshoe Festival returns for its ninth year to celebrate Norway’s rich cultural heritage of arts and crafts. The festival is the kick-off to the Norway Winter Carnival, which runs during school vacation week, Feb. 16 through 24.

Festival sponsors are Dion Snowshoes, Fiber & Vine, Café Nomad, Norway Brewing Company, Pietree Orchard, the Tribune Books & Gifts, True North Adventureware, TruStrength Athletics, and the Western Foothills Land Trust.

New this year will be a trebuchet cabbage toss benefiting the Alan Day Community Garden. Bring your own competitive cabbage or select one onsite to sponsor.  The winning cabbage will split the pot with ADGC.

Farmington celebrates Chester Greenwood, who invented the ear muff; Kingfield has the Stanley Museum honoring the Stanley twins; and Rockland prides itself as the birthplace of Louise Nevelson and Edna St. Vincent Millay. Norway has its snowshoe industries and Mellie Dunham.

Norway, once self-proclaimed as “The Snowshoe Town of America,” was home to four major snowshoe industries between 1850 and 1980: Dunham, H.H. Hosmer, Snowcraft, and Tubbs.  Norway snowshoes took Peary to the North Pole, Byrd to the South Pole, and supported our U.S. troops during World War I and II.

Mellie Dunham was not only the first commercial snowshoe maker in town, outfitting Admiral Peary’s expedition to the North Pole; he also was  a renowned fiddler, commissioned by Henry Ford to play traditional fiddle music across the country.

In honor of Dunham’s talents, the Norway Snowshoe Festival always includes a contra dance in addition to athletic and family-friendly outdoor snowshoe events. This year’s Mellie Dunham contra dance will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Norway Grange on Whitman Street, where Dunham and fellow snowshoe maker Nate Noble often performed. This year, the stage will be resplendent with players including Pam Weeks on fiddle, Bill Olson calling, talented friends from the Better Late Than Never Band, and the ’75 Scottys. A donation of $5 to $10 is requested.

Honoring the festival, an exhibit of Norway-made, Norway-owned snowshoes will be on display at Café Nomad and at the Norway Brewing Company throughout February. Chocolate snowshoes made by Maine Gourmet Chocolates and snowshoe valentines with Mellie Dunham lyrics will be available at Café Nomad and The Tribune Books and Gifts.

2019 Schedule

• 10 a.m. – 2K, 5K and 10K Snowshoe Races, sponsored by Dion Snowshoes and True North Adventureware. 10 a.m. start. $5 under 18, $10 over pre-registered: www.runsignup.com. $10/$15 on site.
• 11:30 – Hortense Gates Snowshoe Fashion Parade, sponsored by Fiber & Vine. Norway poet Hortense Gates raced in Norway’s 1949 International Snowshoe Races. Don your woolens and wooden snowshoes and take a stroll around the field. Prizes for historic, creative, youngest, oldest, and family group. Free.
• Noon – Expedition Snack at the Firepit, sponsored by Café Nomad, Norway Brewing Co., and Pie Tree Orchard.
• Noon – Family Snowshoe Games, sponsored by The Tribune Books and Gifts. Franklin Expedition Pulk Pull, 3-Legged Race, Egg & Spoon, Musical Chairs, Book It for Books! 100-yard dash. All games on snowshoes. Free.
• 1 p.m. – Snowshoe Wife-or-Whatever Carry, sponsored by Norway Brewing Company. 250-yard dash with obstacles. $20. Pre-registration at www.runsignup.com.
• 1:30 p.m. – Byrd & Peary Snowshoe Tug-of-War, sponsored by TruStrength Athletics. Snowshoes/sledges for Byrd and Peary polar expeditions were made in Norway! Five-person teams, progressive competition. $20 team registration. For information: www.runsignup.com. Winners donate to charity of choice.
• 2 p.m. – Trebuchet Cabbage Toss. BYOCabbage or sponsor one of our competitive cruciferous vegetables. Wagers encouraged. Hurl for distance and precision. Proceeds benefit Alan Day Community Garden.
• 6 to 8 p.m. – Mellie Dunham Contra Dance, Norway Grange. Pam Weeks, fiddle; Bill Olson, calling, joined by The Better Late Than Never Band and The ’75 Scottys. $5-$10 donation. 15 Whitman Street.