CARIBOU, Maine — After freezing rain caused slippery travel conditions on the weekend, Caribou’s Winter Carnival committee canceled most of the carnival’s final events on Sunday.
The committee made the announcement Sunday morning after seeing what Saturday’s snow and rain had done to the outdoor areas at Teague Park and Caribou High School sliding hill, Parks and Recreation Superintendent Gary Marquis said.
The rain that continued into Sunday also put a damper on the outdoor plans.
“The ice rink was absolute slush and we were sinking to our knees in slush on the basketball court,” Marquis said. “It would not have been good for playing soccer.”
Among the events canceled were the snow soccer and broomball tournaments, mini bonfires, snow volleyball and ice skating at Teague Park, and skiing, snowshoeing and sliding at the high school. The corn hole tournament was moved inside the Caribou Wellness and Recreation Center and held Sunday afternoon.
Fortunately, Marquis said, all the Saturday Winter Carnival events were well attended, with hundreds of families enjoying free roller skating, movies at Caribou Theater, horse rides at Unbridled Faith Equestrian Center and bowling. The indoor basketball tournament also proved to be a hit with families.
The popularity of those events has encouraged the committee to host Winter Carnival again next year.
“We’ll definitely try again,” Marquis said. “Maybe we’ll try a date earlier in March when we might get cooler temperatures.”
Scott Kieffer (right) and Amanda Skidgel compete in the corn hole tournament Sunday, held at Caribou Wellness and Recreation Center during the city’s Winter Carnival. (Courtesy of Gary Marquis)
