Snow, snow don't go away; stick around for a few more days.
Weather - particularly the snow - will be a helpful condition to this weekend's Great Eastern Whiteout, but even if it doesn't fall, the show will go on.
“This has been the strangest winter I think pretty much any of us has ever seen,” said the show's coordinator Eric Melfi, who predicted the weather would turn around before Mother Nature's drench of recent snow.
The event begins Friday with a Whiteout Warm-Up for visitors to gather and enjoy a buffet dinner, then displays of sleds, a race and awards will be held on Saturday, and the weekend ends with a vintage trail ride Sunday.
In conjunction with a display of antique and vintage sleds, a race on a track made of ice will add speed to Saturday's festivities. Construction on the racetrack began a week in advance for the show. Then the signature parade of sleds will show-off all models during the race's intermission.
“And if Mother Nature cooperates (with more snow), we'll end with a vintage trail ride Sunday,” Melfi said.
The main attraction - displays of antique and vintage snowmobiles - has drawn larger and larger crowds each year causing this year's Great Eastern Whiteout to pick a new location.
The Rolling Wheels Raceway Park in Jordan offers a larger venue for the annual event, which outgrew the Oswego County Fairgrounds where is has been held for the last five years.
“It has grown 10 to 20 percent each year,” Melfi said, adding sled enthusiasts come from 11 neighboring states and four Canadian provinces.
Last year's attendance exceeded 3,000 people and 400 sleds were registered, according to Melfi. This year he hopes to exceed last year's attendance number and to register more than 500 sleds.
Also in an effort to support the popularity of the show, the Great Eastern Whiteout has partnered with the Weedsport Winter Wanders snowmobile club, which will host this year's show.
The Great Eastern Whiteout is a non-profit event benefiting a BOCES scholarship and raising money for Syracuse's Children's Hospital.
“We give a cash scholarship to a college-bound B-student from BOCES,” Melfi explained. “We're looking for the average student trying to better themselves. Further proceeds are given to the children's hospital.”
In the end Mother Nature calls the shots on whether the track will stay iced over to allow for races.
“If we can get this track up,” Melfi said, “it's going to explode.”
If you go
What: The Sixth annual Great Eastern Whiteout
When: Friday through Sunday
Where: Elbridge, Jordan and Weedsport
For details: Call 252-4097 or visit
www.thegreateasternwhiteout.com
Schedule of events
FRIDAY
What: The Great Eastern
Warm-Up
When: 6 to 10 p.m.
Where: DeVaney's Riverside Grill, Route 34, Weedsport
For details: Call 834-6352
SATURDAY
What: The Sixth annual Great Eastern Whiteout Show
When: 9 a.m. until dusk
- 8 a.m. Registration
- 10:30 a.m. Driver meeting
- 11 a.m. Racing starts
- 1 to 2 p.m. Intermission and parade of sleds
- 4 p.m. Awards ceremony
Where: Rolling Wheels Raceway Park Route 5, Elbridge
SUNDAY
What: Antiques and Vintage
Trail Ride
When: 9 a.m.
Where: From Owen's Orchard to Rooterville Restaurant, Route 31, Jordan
Staff writer Ashley Hanry can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 232 or ashley.hanry@lee.net
“This has been the strangest winter I think pretty much any of us has ever seen,” said the show's coordinator Eric Melfi, who predicted the weather would turn around before Mother Nature's drench of recent snow.
The event begins Friday with a Whiteout Warm-Up for visitors to gather and enjoy a buffet dinner, then displays of sleds, a race and awards will be held on Saturday, and the weekend ends with a vintage trail ride Sunday.
In conjunction with a display of antique and vintage sleds, a race on a track made of ice will add speed to Saturday's festivities. Construction on the racetrack began a week in advance for the show. Then the signature parade of sleds will show-off all models during the race's intermission.
“And if Mother Nature cooperates (with more snow), we'll end with a vintage trail ride Sunday,” Melfi said.
The main attraction - displays of antique and vintage snowmobiles - has drawn larger and larger crowds each year causing this year's Great Eastern Whiteout to pick a new location.
The Rolling Wheels Raceway Park in Jordan offers a larger venue for the annual event, which outgrew the Oswego County Fairgrounds where is has been held for the last five years.
“It has grown 10 to 20 percent each year,” Melfi said, adding sled enthusiasts come from 11 neighboring states and four Canadian provinces.
Last year's attendance exceeded 3,000 people and 400 sleds were registered, according to Melfi. This year he hopes to exceed last year's attendance number and to register more than 500 sleds.
Also in an effort to support the popularity of the show, the Great Eastern Whiteout has partnered with the Weedsport Winter Wanders snowmobile club, which will host this year's show.
The Great Eastern Whiteout is a non-profit event benefiting a BOCES scholarship and raising money for Syracuse's Children's Hospital.
“We give a cash scholarship to a college-bound B-student from BOCES,” Melfi explained. “We're looking for the average student trying to better themselves. Further proceeds are given to the children's hospital.”
In the end Mother Nature calls the shots on whether the track will stay iced over to allow for races.
“If we can get this track up,” Melfi said, “it's going to explode.”
If you go
What: The Sixth annual Great Eastern Whiteout
When: Friday through Sunday
Where: Elbridge, Jordan and Weedsport
For details: Call 252-4097 or visit
www.thegreateasternwhiteout.com
Schedule of events
FRIDAY
What: The Great Eastern
Warm-Up
When: 6 to 10 p.m.
Where: DeVaney's Riverside Grill, Route 34, Weedsport
For details: Call 834-6352
SATURDAY
What: The Sixth annual Great Eastern Whiteout Show
When: 9 a.m. until dusk
- 8 a.m. Registration
- 10:30 a.m. Driver meeting
- 11 a.m. Racing starts
- 1 to 2 p.m. Intermission and parade of sleds
- 4 p.m. Awards ceremony
Where: Rolling Wheels Raceway Park Route 5, Elbridge
SUNDAY
What: Antiques and Vintage
Trail Ride
When: 9 a.m.
Where: From Owen's Orchard to Rooterville Restaurant, Route 31, Jordan
Staff writer Ashley Hanry can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 232 or ashley.hanry@lee.net
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