Rain or shine or lack of snow, the Haines Winter Olympic Games will forge ahead Saturday, Feb. 28, at the Southeast Alaska State Fairgrounds.
Opening ceremonies commence at 10 a.m., followed by the BB gun biathlon at 10:15 a.m. The crowd favorite “I-Kid-A-Rod” dog sled pull begins at 11 a.m., after which competitors will try their hand at the tea-making contest at 11:30 a.m.
Attendees can warm up around a fire for the chili contest and potluck at noon, which will also include an awards ceremony.
The youth hockey game begins at 12:15 p.m., followed by the adult hockey tournament at 1 p.m.
As Mother Nature appears disinclined to cooperate for the games, fair director Jessica Edwards has planned alternative activities in the event of no snow.
Edwards is hoping she can get her hands on some of the wheeled dog sleds mushers use to train their dogs in the off-season, so the “I-Kid-A-Rod” can continue despite a lack of snow.
The biathlon could turn into a bike-and-shoot or run-and-shoot format, and hockey might turn into a frying pan toss followed by broomball if there is even a remnant of ice left on the rink, Edwards said.
In the five years Edwards has been working on the event, last year was the only time she saw exceptional winter weather.
“It is always a really fun time regardless of the weather. We’ve had all types of weather for this. It’s just a fun get-together,” she said.
After taking in the games, attendees can stop in at the Klondike Saloon for the Haines Ski and Hike Club membership event from 1 to 3 p.m. Bruce Gilbert, Erwin Hertz, Dan Egolf and others will share stories about the history of the club.
The Winter Olympic Games are sponsored by the Southeast Alaska State Fair, Takshanuk Watershed Council, Haines Hockey and the Haines Ski and Hike Club.