Banner Elk, NC – SugarFest kick starts the ski and snowboard season at North Carolina’s Sugar Mountain Resort this weekend, sponsored by the Village of Sugar Mountain Tourism Development Authority (TDA) and hosted by Sugar Mountain Resort.nThe 8th annual two-day festival is packed with a long list of winter activities and coincides with Sugar’s 17th Annual Adult Preseason Ski Clinic. Olympic Gold and Silver medalist Diann Roffe, two-time Olympian, Krista Schmidinger and U.S. National Sugar G Champion, Keely Kelleher top the list of the ski clinic’s coaching staff.

New 2011 model year ski and snowboard equipment will be available for demo both Saturday and Sunday from Salomon, Volkl, Nordica, Burton, Head, Never Summer, K2, Atomic, Dynastar, Rossignol, Ride, Line, Fisher and Forum. You must have a valid lift ticket as well as a valid driver’s license or credit card in order to test drive the new gear.

Watch 1992 Olympic Figure Skating Silver Medalist, Paul Wylie dazzle the crowd with his amazing talent followed by an on ice skating clinic and a meet and greet session Sunday at 3:00 p.m. No fee is required to watch Paul’s inspiring on-ice performance. However, if you would like to skate, a valid skate session ticket is required. Sugar’s ice rink is located next to the Dave Nixon Pro Shop adjacent to parking lot D and is open for 90 minute sessions from 10:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m.

With Mother Nature’s cooperation Sugar’s tubing park will be open for sessions beginning at 10:00 a.m. and ending at 10:00 p.m.

“Ready, get set, go!” is what you’ll hear if you enter the snowball eating contest at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday. You’ll have two minutes to eat as many tasty snowball look-a-likes as your stomach can stomach.

Saturday evening will be capped by a fireworks display at the base of the mountain at 5:45 p.m. accompanied by food offerings, warm drinks, and music. Boss Hawg will perform live bluegrass from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.

At 10:00 a.m. on Sunday watch as an ice sculptor begins to turn blocks of ice into a beautiful winter work of art. Don’t miss the Rail Jam Expression Session at 12 noon on Sunday as talented snowboarders pull off some of their best tricks.

Lodging agencies within the Village of Sugar Mountain will be offering discounted rates for slope-side and on-mountain accommodations during SugarFest. Winter Value Packages are available too. For more information contact Sugar Mountain Resort at (800) SUGAR MT or visit www.seesugar.com/tourism/sugarfest.