City and community groups plan a one-of-a-kind winter festival for February
What: This Monday, the City of Portland will announce plans for WinteRush, Maine's Coolest Festival, February 6 - 14, 2009. WinteRush will provide exciting and fun winter activities that can be enjoyed by all ages in downtown Portland. The week-long festival was conceived as a way to promote health and fitness during what can often be a cold month.

Healthy Portland with the City of Portland's Public Health Division and Let's Go! will host a series winter activities as a part of Winterfit, one of the components of WinteRush. Winterfit will include cross county skiing, ice skating, sliding, snowball fights, scavenger hunts, shoveling contests, relay races, and much, much more!

Kicking off WinteRush, Maine Snow & Ice Sculpting Foundation will hold an International Snow & Ice Art Expo in Lincoln Park, which will run through the entire week. Sculptures of Maine marine life including a life sized humpback whale will be on display in the park.

The following weekend, Sunday River and Sugarloaf will hold a Downtown Showdown in Monument Square. The resorts will bring the mountains to Portland as they build a snow-covered hill in the heart of the downtown for a skiing and snowboarding rail jam.

Other events planned for WinteRush include a patio concert sponsored by WBLM and WCYY, a Portland Pirates game and pick-up hockey at the Portland Ice Arena.

Check out the event's website for updates and schedules, www.winterush.com (website will go live next week).

Who: Mayor Jill Duson will be joined by representatives from Sunday River/Sugarloaf, the Maine Snow & Ice Sculpting Foundation, Maine Winterfit and other partners. Ed Jarrett of the Maine Snow & Ice Sculpting Foundation will sculpt a kick-off sculpture before the press conference (beginning at approximately 8:00 AM).

"Portland WinteRush is a great opportunity for children, adults and families to get active and have a lot of fun this February," stated Mayor Duson. "Winter can often be a difficult time to stay healthy and this festival makes it easy."

"WInteRush is also an excellent opportunity for people to travel to Portland and check out the great local restaurants and shops in the downtown -- providing economic opportunities during what can be a very slow time for the city."

When: Monday, December 8, 2008, 11:00 AM

Where: Lincoln Park