LONDONDERRY, Vt. – On Saturday, June 4, music lovers and ski enthusiasts alike gathered at Magic Mountain for the first ever West River Open. The fundraiser was organized by West River Sports Association, a local nonprofit that serves to foster the love of sport through soccer and Nordic skiing for area youth. The event featured music by Zach Nugent and Dead Set.
The venue, with its natural, amphitheater-like acoustics and lush green backdrop, was the perfect setting for a family friendly evening full of great music, delicious food from local vendors, and most unique of all, a 300-foot long snow course with two jumps that showcased some impressive Nordic freestyle skills.
In March, volunteers gathered to create a large snow farm to house the snow for use at the event. Snow was piled up, hay was laid down, and a recycled rink liner donated from Peru, Vt. was used to shield the pile from the elements. Even with many 80–90 degree days, the pile held strong. From preschoolers to Olympic and T2 elite athletes Ben Ogden, Julia Kern, Lina Sutro, Will Koch, and Lauren Jortber, all showed off their skills and put on a great show for the crowd.
Mark your calendar for next year’s event, June 3, 2023.
Thanks to generous donations from local community businesses and headline sponsors, rk Miles, Vermont Foam Insulation, Merrill Lynch, Hunter Excavating, and venue host Magic Mountain. One hundred percent of the proceeds from the event go directly to West River Sports youth initiatives.
West River Sports is a volunteer run nonprofit organization that promotes the physical and intellectual development of our area’s youth and, in pursuit of that objective, offers programs in soccer and cross-country skiing. Donations can be made at www.westriversports.org.