Snow dances at Aviemore's winter launch festival set to pay off!
It looks like the snow dances at Aviemore's winter launch festival may have paid off. More than 300 people attended the community celebration.
Colin Matthew, operations chief at Cairngorm Mountain, told the Strathy: “We are expecting frequent snow showers, sometime heavy over the next couple of days.
“After that it looks to be staying bitterly cold but with not much snow around.
"However it will be great weather for production from our SnowFactory, and we are hoping to add to that with our fan guns.”
The festival at the weekend was hosted by Aviemore and Glenmore Community Trust at the community ice rink at the Macdonald Aviemore Resort.
Entertainment from Friday late afternoon included an ice hockey demonstration match by Aviemore Avalanche Seniors, beat the ice hockey goalie and fun open skate sessions.
There was also a host of free fun family activities including an inflatable bungee run, face painting, roasting marshmallows on fire pits and a visit by the Cairngorm Reindeer Herd.
Then the Aviemore Avalanche junior players hosted their first ever tournament on the Saturday morning.
One of those attending was local Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey MP Drew Hendry who told the Strathy: ""It was inspiring to see so many young people taking part in the ice hockey and so many of their parents and relatives roaring them on.
"There was an amazing buzz and the players clearly loved it and were delighted to show off their impressive skills.
"Many of those families either remembered and used the original rink or had pictures of grandparents who played in them themselves.
"What the community, through the Aviemore and Glemore Community Trust, have achieved is remarkable and, as I said at the event, a real exemplar for community action.
"I'm delighted to commit to working with them to take forward and develop both this and future projects that strengthen this place."
Pick up Thursday's Strathy for more on the community's winter celebration including photographs.
