February 06, 2003

MIDDLEBURY, VT - With "Almost Famous" as its theme, the 80th annual Middlebury College Winter Carnival, the oldest and largest student-run carnival in the country, will take place on Thursday, Feb. 20-Saturday, Feb. 22. The public is invited to attend fireworks, a cultural gala, an ice show and ski competitions.

At 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 20, a fireworks display will burst into the skies over the College's Center for the Arts (CFA). Observers may enjoy hot chocolate and view the fireworks from the CFA's parking lot or terrace, which is accessible via Porter Field Road, off South Main Street (Route 30).

Just after the fireworks, from 7:15-9:15 p.m., a cultural gala with a musical theme, "Rhythm and Tunes," will take place in the CFA. Middlebury College's own Mchakamchaka, a student group whose members simultaneously run and sing African chants as is the tradition in Tanzania and other parts of southern Africa, will perform and offer a workshop for kids from 7:15-8 p.m. Shari P'oons and the Funk Brigade, a Middlebury College student jazz band, will perform from 7:30-8:30 p.m. Music lovers will also enjoy the featured group of the evening, the Burlington Taiko Japanese Drummers, from 8-9:15 p.m. Light refreshments will be available.

The Winter Carnival Ice Show will take place on Friday, Feb. 21, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 22, at 2 p.m. in Kenyon Arena on South Main Street (Route 30). Titled "Middlebury Stars on Ice," the show will feature two special guest skaters; the Middlebury Figure Skating Club, whose members include children and adults; and Middlebury College student, staff and faculty skaters.

Solo guest skater Chynna Pope, a silver medalist in the 2003 Junior Ladies Northeast competition, returns to the Winter Carnival Ice Show for the second year in a row. Pope is a sophomore at the Brimmer and May School in Chestnut Hill, Mass. She began skating at the age of two and trains at the Skating Club of Boston. Pope was enrolled for six years in the intensive ballet program at the Boston Ballet and for one year at the Massachusetts Youth Ballet. She has danced numerous parts in "The Nutcracker," from Snow to the Waltz of the Flowers.

The second solo guest skater, 21-year-old Scott Smith, will also perform. A 2003 Senior National Competitor, Smith was the 1998 National Junior Champion. Like Pope, he trains at the Skating Club of Boston. He is a veteran of six international competitions, including the Golden Spin competition held in Zagreb, Croatia, last fall.

Some of the finest collegiate skiers will compete at the carnival, where the Nordic and alpine races are regional qualifying events for the NCAA. Competitions will take place on Friday, Feb. 21, and Saturday, Feb. 22, at the Middlebury College Snow Bowl in Hancock and the Rikert Ski Touring Center in Ripton. The visiting teams include those from Bates, Bowdoin, Colby, Dartmouth, Harvard, St. Lawrence, St. Michael's, University of New Hampshire, University of Vermont and Williams. Pending qualification, individuals on teams from the following schools may compete: Boston College, Plymouth, Northern Michigan University, Smith, St. Anselm, Clarkson, M.I.T. and the University of Massachusetts. There will be an outdoor barbecue at the Snow Bowl on Saturday at 11:30 a.m.

Admission to the fireworks, cultural gala and ski events are free. Tickets for the ice show are $5 for adults, and $3 for children under 12. Tickets will be available at the door. The outdoor barbecue at the Snow Bowl is $5.50 per person. For more information, contact the Middlebury College Center for Campus Activities at 802-443-3100.

To follow is a listing of events:

Middlebury College Winter Carnival Events Calendar Listings:

Cultural and Entertainment Events:

Thursday, Feb. 20
7 p.m. Middlebury College Center for the Arts parking lot and terrace, Route 30
Fireworks
Free admission

7:15-9:15 p.m., Middlebury College Center for the Arts, Route 30
"Rhythm and Tunes" Cultural Gala: Middlebury College student group Mchakamchaka, whose members simultaneously run and sing African chants as is the tradition in Tanzania and other parts of southern Africa, will perform and offer a workshop for kids from 7:15-8 p.m. Shari P'oons and the Funk Brigade, a Middlebury College student jazz band, will perform from 7:30-8:30 p.m. The featured event will be a performance by the Burlington Taiko Japanese Drummers from 8-9:15 p.m. Light refreshments will be available.
Free admission

Friday, Feb. 21
7 p.m., Kenyon Arena, Middlebury College, Route 30
"Middlebury Stars on Ice" Ice Show
Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for children under 12. Tickets will be available at the door.

Saturday, Feb. 22
2 p.m., Kenyon Arena, Middlebury College, Route 30
"Middlebury Stars on Ice" Ice Show
Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for children under 12. Tickets will be available at the door.

Ski Events:
Free admission to ski events. Outdoor barbecue on Snow Bowl deck at 11:30 a.m., Feb. 22, $5.50 per person.

Friday, Feb. 21
Alpine Events, Middlebury College Snow Bowl, Hancock, Route 125
9:30 a.m. Women's Slalom - First Run
Followed by Men's Slalom - First Run
12:30 p.m. Women's Slalom - Second Run
Followed by Men's Slalom - Second Run

Nordic Events, Rikert Ski Touring Center, Ripton, Route 125
10 a.m. Women's 5K Freestyle
11:15 a.m. Men's 10K Freestyle

Saturday, Feb. 22
Alpine Events, Middlebury College Snow Bowl, Hancock, Route 125
9:30 a.m. Men's Giant Slalom - First Run
Followed by Women's Giant Slalom - First Run
11:30 a.m. Outdoor barbecue on Snow Bowl deck, $5.50 per person
12:30 p.m. Men's Giant Slalom - Second Run
Followed by Women's Giant Slalom - Second Run

Nordic Events, Rikert Ski Touring Center, Ripton, Route 125
10 a.m. Men's 20K Mass Start Freestyle
11:30 a.m. Women's 15K Mass Start Freestyle

For more information, contact the Middlebury College Center for Campus Activities at 802-443-3100.