Ariens Nordic Center hosting 'King of Snow' event

Jan. 19, 2024

The Brillion News

This press release was issued to The Brillion News.

BRILLION - Ariens®, AriensCo’s outdoor power equipment brand, is bringing a new winter festival to Ariens Nordic Center on Saturday, Jan. 20, and Sunday, Jan. 21. The Ariens King of Snow® Festival will welcome all ages to northeast Wisconsin for a flurry of family fun, entertainment, competition, and experiences that only winter can provide. The event’s namesake is inspired by the longstanding legacy of the Ariens Sno-Thro®, the world’s top-selling brand of two-stage snowblower.

“We’ve been big on snow since the first Ariens Sno-Thro was built in 1960, and Ariens Nordic Center is our way to continue celebrating our snow passion,” said AriensCo Chairman and CEO Dan Ariens. “The Ariens King of Snow Festival is for skiers and non-skiers to enjoy a fun, snow-filled weekend with family and friends. Come celebrate winter with us! It has everything for those who love winter life and getting together under the sun and the stars – we’ll have both this weekend.”

The Festival features:

1. Open skiing and fat tire biking on Ariens Nordic Center’s groomed trails, with ski rental available during open ski hours.

2. A tented Biergarten with ice bar will have food and beverages for purchase throughout the event’s duration.

3. Bonfires and private igloo rentals.

4. Live music by country folk singer songwriter Michael Grabner.

5. Apparel vendors inside Round Lake Farms adjacent to Ariens Nordic Center, and inside the trailhead building.

6. Fireworks show sponsored by Wipfli will light up the sky on Saturday night.

7. Family-friendly Green Bay Packers viewing party inside Round Lake Farms. Food and beverage service will continue beyond the 7:15 p.m. kickoff when the team takes on the San Francisco 49ers in the highly-anticipated NFC Divisional matchup.

8. Ariens dealers Brillion Power Equipment and Kimp’s Ace Hardware in Green Bay will also supply equipment for a King of Snow product display through the weekend. The exhibit will showcase the brand’s latest Sno-Thro models and offer product literature for curious buyers looking for the best snow-clearing solutions for their homes and businesses.

The weekend also brings the first-ever Fat Bike race to Ariens Nordic Center and several cross-country ski races.

1. Competitions start on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. with the U.S. Fat Bike Open – Brillion, sanctioned by the Snow Crown Fat Bike Series. This series of races welcomes competitors of various classes to duke it out across Ariens Nordic Center’s trail system. Awards will follow racing at 4:30 p.m.

2. Cross-country ski races will crown a King, Queen, Prince, and Princess of Snow. Top male and female finishers of Sunday’s 10K freestyle ski race for adults and experienced youth will become the King and Queen of Snow, and winners of the Kids 1K freestyle will be dignified as the Prince and Princess of Snow. Competitors can also enter in a 5K freestyle race. The 10K and 5K races start at 10:00 a.m., and the Kids 1K race will be at 11:00. The new royalty will be coronated on the ice throne at 11:30.

3. Top male and female finishers in the 10K Freestyle ski race and the fat bike Elite Category race will win an Ariens 90th Anniversary Limited Edition Sno-Thro. Built on the Platinum-series platform, this model merges the King of Snow’s original paint scheme with today’s innovations for style and epic snow-clearing performance. The 90th has a 24-inch clearing width, retains Ariens trademark all-steel construction for durability, is powered by a 369cc TecumsehPower® SnowKing® engine, and features heated hand grips for comfort, Auto-Turn™ steering for easy maneuvering, and a super-high-output (SHO) impeller that throws snow up to 55 feet.

“This model pays homage to the history of the iconic Sno-Thro,” said Ariens. “Like all two-stage Ariens Sno-Thro models, it’s built in Brillion, but we only made 1,933 units as a nod to our birth year. Bragging rights are good, but putting such a great prize on the line should motivate some exciting competition.”

Registration for the 10K, 5K, and 1K freestyle ski races closes on Saturday, Jan. 20, at 11:59 p.m. All times Central.

To learn more about the Ariens King of Snow Festival, see the complete event schedule, reserve an igloo with food and beverage package, or to register for the 10K, 5K, or 1K freestyle ski races or a fat tire bike race, visit ariensnordic.com/calendar/ariens-king-of-snow-festival.