Ski and Snowboard News, Deals, and Events

The Swiss resort of Grindelwald will host the 27^th World Snow Festival this winter. It is a celebration of ice-cold art, where international artists design figures and sculptures out of metre-high blocks of snow.

The festival will take place over six days Jan.19-24, 2009. The World Snow Festival has developed into one of the most fascinating and popular winter events in Grindelwald. Every January the international festival is held on the natural ice rink in the village centre. International artists' work becomes an exclusive attraction turning the village square into a hive of activity.

The Grindelwald Tourist Office says, "What began with a huge Heidi carved in the snow by Japanese artists, has since developed into a cultural happening that one would not like to do without in the glacier village."

Another popular event in Grindelwald this year is the Velogemel World Championship. The velogemel snow-bike is Grindelwald's trademark and every year the Velogemel Championship takes place here, involving racing down a slope at break-neck speed. This year the event will take place Feb. 8, 2009.

Other non-skiing events in Grindelwald include the Faulhorn Classis, a toboggan race for both visitors and locals, Feb. 15, 2009, and the 12^th Horn Sledge Race March 7, 2009.