PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — With clear skies and no snowflakes in sight, Saturday proved to be an ideal day for families to head outdoors during Aroostook State Park’s annual Winter Family Fun Day.
For over 20 years the park has designated the final Saturday in February as a day to offer activities such as snowtubing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobile tote rides to area families, all for only a small park admission fee and free equipment rentals courtesy of the Maine State Parks ski and snowshoe trailer.
Park manager Scott Thompson said that although Aroostook State Park offers those activities throughout the winter, the free equipment offers a chance for many families to try activities that they might not have done before. Sponsorship from many local and state companies also allows the park to keep admission costs low for families who choose to attend.
“It’s a great day for people to get outside, especially those who might find it hard to have fun during the long winters up here,” Thompson said. “All the extra snow we’ve gotten this year has made today even more fun.”
Throughout the morning and early afternoon, children could be seen cheering loudly as their snowtubes rushed straight down a small hill, gliding to a stop on the frozen Echo Lake below. To make the slide extra fun, Lou-Ann Milton of Raymond, her niece Nicole Cassidy of Easton and Cassidy’s daughter, 9-year-old Sarah Cassidy, tied their snowtubes together. Milton’s grandson Brady Milton, 11, also followed close behind in his own snowtube.
“I’m up here for a visit and Nicole convinced me to come along with her and Sarah,” Lou-Ann Milton said. “We’ve been having a blast snowtubing and will probably go snowshoeing later.”
Nicole Cassidy said that the Winter Family Fun Day has become a great tradition for the family and a chance to try out many different activities.
“The kids really like the sliding and I’ve always enjoyed cross-country skiing,” Cassidy said.
For Sarah Cassidy, having a blast in the snow is just one of many great things about Winter Family Fun Day.
“I like hanging out with my family and doing things with them,” she said.
