Expedia CruiseShipCenters Drops Anchor in Bellevue

Local Entrepreneur to Help Customers Plan their Perfect Vacation

Planning a vacation has just become a lot easier for families in Bellevue and Kirkland. With the desire and expertise to help their community find the right vacation, local entrepreneur, Elbert Stockberger, has opened his first Expedia CruiseShipCenters franchise at 661 120^th Ave NE, Suite 13B. 

Expedia CruiseShipCenters – part of Expedia Inc., one of the largest travel companies in the world – offers cruise vacations and much more through its 190 locations across North America.

Switchfly Labor Day Study Names Nassau #1 Destination

Data released today from Switchfly show people squeezing in one last weekend of beach time before Autumn hits

Switchfly, Inc., the technology company powering travel search, booking and loyalty point redemption solutions for travel booking companies, today released its Labor Day Travel Study about U.S. travelers’ preferred Labor Day destinations. The data was obtained through Switchfly's platform which powers Orbitz, Expedia, and many other travel booking companies. The Switchfly Labor Day Travel Study ranked Nassau, Bahamas the first choice

Get 50% Off Corporate Hotel Rate Membership

THE Best Hotel Discounts

Here is a really good way to save money and get a Corporate Rate Membership to Nice Hotels from JetLuxInc

Kennedy - Loo Wedding Invitations Are in the Mail / FREE Airfare to Hawaii?

The invitations for the Hawaii beach wedding of social media marketing guru Stacia Loo and Joe Tesla Kennedy have finally been mailed.  You can read all about it and rsvp at JoeandStacia.com.

If you would like to attend the event on Kalama Beach in Kailua, Oahu, Hawaii and are interested in free airfare, A New Day Real Estate will buy two (2) airplane tickets for every client who buys or sells a house or condo with Joe Kennedy and A New Day Real Estate between now and September 1st.

If you've never been to Kalama Beach, it is extremely beautiful and happens to be the location of the house that President Obama stays when on vacation in Hawaii.

Tickets Now On Sale for Feast Portland

Tickets are now on sale for the fourth year of Bon Appétit Presents Feast Portland: A Celebration of Oregon Bounty, September 17-20, 2015. The Feast Portland 2015 lineup is hotter than ever with the addition of their new Saturday night marquee event, Smoked!, a sizzling celebration of animal, vegetable, sea and forest. Taking place at The Fields in Portland’s Pearl District on Saturday, September 19 from 6-9pm complete with an epic view of Portland’s Fremont Bridge, Smoked! will be a wild night of live fire, bold Northwest Wines, classic cocktails, and some of the best bites of the weekend.

Feast will also feature legendary chefs from around the country and the around world like Ollie Dabbous of Dabbous in London, Christopher Haatuft of Lysverket in Norway, John Tesar of Knife at The Highland Dallas in Dallas, Philip Krajeck of Rolf and Daughters in Nashville, Ben Ford of Ford's Filling Station in LA, Paul Kahan of The Publican in Chicago, Aaron Franklin of Franklin Barbecue in Austin, Viet Pham of ember + ash in Salt Lake City, Brad Farmerie of Saxon + Parole in New York City, Aaron Silverman of Rose’s Luxury in Washington, DC, Chris Cosentino of Cockscomb in San Francisco and dozens more, plus Oregon’s very best chefs, artisans, winemakers, brewers, cider houses and distillers. Tickets for Feast Portland 2015 are available now at www.FeastPortland.com.

As the flagship food and drink festival of the Pacific Northwest, Feast Portland has more than 30 events at beautiful venues across Portland, including large-scale marquee events, intimate dinners, tasting panels, hands-on classes and industry parties over four intense days of eating and drinking. Balancing debauchery with philanthropy, Feast Portland continues its mission to end childhood hunger in Oregon and across America by donating festival net proceeds to No Kid Hungry and Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon, giving more than $162,000 over the last three years.

THE CHEFS:

In a region celebrated for innovations in food and drink, Feast Portland unites local talent with internationally recognized chefs, industry leaders, culinary media and influencers. Founded by Mike Thelin and Carrie Welch in 2012, Feasthas become a premier festival for emerging and established culinary talent.

“It has been thrilling to see Feast Portland evolve into one of the most celebrated food festivals in the country, but not surprising. From the quality and variety of ingredients to the talent and originality of the chefs and artisans, Oregon is peerless,” said Feast Portland co-founders Mike Thelin and Carrie Welch.

This year, Feast Portland is excited to welcome more international chefs than ever before to the 2015 lineup including Angus An of Maenam (Vancouver, Canada), Ollie Dabbous of Dabbous (London), Jackie Ellis of Beaucoup Bakery (Vancouver, Canada), Christopher Haatuft of Lysverket (Norway), and James Knappett of Kitchen Table at Bubbledogs (London).

Oregon chefs participating in Feast Portland 2015 include Aaron Barnett of St. Jack, Ben Bettinger of Laurelhurst Market, David Briggs of Xocolatl de Davíd, Kyra Bussanich of Kyra's Bake Shop, Elias Cairo of Olympia Provisions, Beau Carr of RingSide Steakhouse, Jose Chesa of Ataula, Matt Christianson of Urban Farmer Restaurant, Greg Denton and Gabrielle Quiñónez Denton of OX Restaurant, Scott Dolich of Park Kitchen, Rick Ebster of Bottle + Kitchen, Patrick Fleming of Boke Bowl, Ken Forkish and Rich Meyer of Trifecta Tavern & Bakery, Jason French of Ned Ludd, Alissa Frice of Frice Pastry, Rick Gencarelli of Lardo, John Gorham of Toro Bravo, Gregory Gourdet of Departure, Tommy Habetz and Nick Wood of Bunk Sandwiches, Tim Healea of Little T Baker, Sunny Jin of JORY at The Allison, Scott Ketterman of Crown Paella, Stephanie Pearl Kimmel of Marché, Carlo Lamagna of Clyde Common, Jenn Louis of Lincoln Restaurant, Troy MacLarty of Bollywood Theater, Tyler Malek of Salt & Straw, Joshua McFadden of Ava Gene’s, Tony Meyers of Serratto, Katy Millard of Coquine, Bonnie Morales of Kachka, Kristen D. Murray of Måurice, Earl Ninsom of Langbaan, Daniel N. Oseas of Broder Café, Vitaly Paley of Imperial, Naomi Pomeroy of Beast, Nong Poonsukwattana of Nong's Khao Man Gai, Will Preisch and Joel Stocks of Holdfast, Andy Ricker of Pok Pok, Ryan Roadhouse of Nodoguro, Allen Routt of The Painted Lady, Gabriel Rucker of Le Pigeon, Adam Sappington of The Country Cat, Sarah Schafer of Irving Street Kitchen, BJ Smith of Smokehouse Tavern, Nate Snell of Pip's Original Doughnuts, Scott Snyder of Levant, John Stewart of Meat Cheese Bread, Johanna Ware of Smallwares, Cathy Whims of Nostrana, Justin Wills of Restaurant Beck, Justin Woodward of Castagna Restaurant and Jin Soo Yang of Bamboo Sushi.

National chefs participating in Feast Portland 2015 include Nick Anderer of Maialino (NYC), Franklin Becker of The Little Beet (NYC), Justin Brunson of Old Major (Denver), Alvin Cailan of Eggslut (LA), Andrew Carmellini of Bar Primi (NYC), Amanda Cohen of Dirt Candy (NYC), Chad Colby of chi SPACCA (LA), Abraham Conlon and Adrienne Lo of Fat Rice (Chicago), Chris Cosentino of Cockscomb (San Francisco), Harold Dieterle of Kin Shop (NYC), Elizabeth Falkner of Falk Yeah Productions (NYC), Brad Farmerie of Saxon + Parole (NYC), Ben Ford of Ford's Filling Station (LA), Aaron Franklin of Franklin Barbecue (Austin), Duff Goldman of Charm City Cakes (LA), Vivian Howard of Chef & the Farmer (Kinston, NC), Michael Hung of Faith + Flower (LA), Paul Kahan of The Publican (Chicago), Gavin Kaysen of Spoon and Stable (Minneapolis), Philip Krajeck of Rolf and Daughters (Nashville), Matt Lightner, Sam Mason of OddFellows (NYC), Tony Maws of Craigie on Main (Cambridge, MA), Steve McHugh of Cured (San Antonio), Harold Moore of Harold's Meat + 3 (NYC), Viet Pham of ember + ash (Salt Lake City), Paul Qui of qui (Austin), Chris Shepherd of Underbelly (Houston), Aaron Silverman of Rose’s Luxury (Washington, DC), Nancy Silverton of Mozza Restaurant (LA), Alex Stupak of Empellon (NYC), John Tesar of Knife at The Highland Dallas (Dallas) and Rachel Yang of Joule (Seattle).

“What I love most about Feast Portland is how, from day one, it has attracted the best, most innovative chefs in the world. Not because we pursue them, but because they want to be a part of Feast,” said Bon Appétit editor in chief Adam Rapoport. “They want to visit a city whose dining scene is as vibrant as any in the country, and participate in a festival that organically taps into that scene’s energy and creativity. The result is a food festival unlike any other in America.”

THE EVENTS:

Feast Portland’s 2015 lineup includes the return of raucous nighttime marquee events Widmer Brothers Brewing Sandwich Invitational Presented by Dave’s Killer Bread on Thursday, September 17 and USA Pears Night Market at Zidell Yards on Friday, September 18 as well as fan-favorite daytime marquee events Oregon Bounty Grand Tasting Presented by Alaska Airlines on both Friday, September 18 and Saturday, September 19 andTillamook Brunch Village Presented by Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Card on Sunday, September 20 to conclude the epic weekend. Marquee events are large-scale walk-around tastings, and, like all Feast Portland events, tickets are all-inclusive of food and drink.

An exciting new addition to the Feast Portland 2015 lineup is a new marquee event, Oregonian Media Group Smoked! taking place on Saturday, September 19th from 6-9pm at The Fields in Portland’s Pearl District. Smoked! will be a sizzling celebration of animal, vegetable, fire, sea and forest. Featuring top masters of the flame from Portland and around the country, this event will stoke your appetite for everything flamed, grilled and free-ranged. Set to the tune of bold Northwest wines, classic cocktails and an epic view of the Fremont Bridge, Smoked! is ready to spark things up with live fire and some of the best bites of the weekend. Don’t call it a cookout!

Every year, Feast Portland creates the most coveted seats in town with its Dinner Series of utterly unique, intimate, multi-chef collaboration dinners hosted at top local restaurants and Portland's culinary incubator space, KitchenCru. Feast Portland is upping the ante for its 2015 Dinner Series by adding two unprecedented internationally themed dinners. Norway/Portland/Austin will feature chefs Christopher Haatuft of Lysverket in Norway, Paul Qui of qui in Austin, Naomi Pomeroy of Beast, Kyle Linden Webster of Expatriate and Will Preisch and Joel Stocks of Holdfast in Portland. London is a City in Oregon welcomes London chefs Ollie Dabbous of Dabbous and James Knappet ofKitchen Table at Bubbledogs, Brad Farmerie of Saxon + Parole in NYC and Gabriel Rucker of Le Pigeon in Portland. The 2015 Dinner Series lineup will also feature the return of the wildly popular Bon Appétit Hot 10 Dinner for the second year, hosted by editor in chief Adam Rapoport and restaurant and drinks editor Andrew Knowlton, celebrating Bon Appétit's Best New Restaurants in America. The exclusive Thursday night dinner will feature four previously nominated Bon Appétit Best New Restaurant chefs – both from inside and outside of Portland – as well as a chef from this year’s top 10 list.

At Feast Portland’s tasting panels, Drink Tank Presented by Imbibe, local and national beverage industry experts guide an intimate group of attendees through a tasting of premium beverages. Feast panelists like Joshua M. Bernstein of Imbibe, Christian DeBenedetti of The Weekly Pint, Bobby Heugel of Anvil Bar & Refuge, Jim Meehan of Mixography Inc., Jeffery Morgenthaler of Clyde Common and Pepe Le Moko, Rajat Parr of Seven Springs Estate and writer Bruce Schoenfeld will share their extensive knowledge along with a few good stories as they explore new trends in the wine, beer and cocktail world. Drink Tank 2015 will delve into hot topics like European-style farmhouse ales at American microbreweries, rare beers with cult-like followings, alcohol and balance in Pinot Noir, the resurging popularity of margaritas, and the love and lore of American whiskey. Drink Tank panels take place during the day on Friday and Saturdayof Feast Portland weekend in the beautiful Evans H. Roberts Sculpture Mall of Portland Art Museum.

For those who want to bring home more than just a full belly from the festival, Feast Portland’s Hands-On Classes provide a rare opportunity to learn the tricks of the trade directly from the nation’s most skilled artisans and chefs. Get hands on and learn to make Amaro cocktails from Mark Bitterman, the magic of candy making with Jami Curl, how to up your coffee game with Liam Kenna and the best beer and food pairings for parties with Christian DeBenedetti and Andrea Slonecker. Hands-On Classes take place during the day on Saturday and Sunday of Feast Portland weekend.

“Oregon has become a must-see, must-do destination for travelers who have a passion for great food and drink. In every corner of the state, you’ll find talented chefs, artisans, farmers and producers who call Oregon home because of our abundance of unique culinary experiences and ingredients,” said Todd Davidson, CEO of Travel Oregon. “Feast Portland provides a national platform to showcase the rich diversity of Oregon’s bounty.”

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

The complete list of events, participants, and ticket information can be found at FeastPortland.com.

 

Widmer Brothers Brewing Sandwich Invitational Presented by Dave’s Killer Bread

Location: Director Park | Date: Thursday, September 17, 2015 | Time: 6pm-9pm | Price: $95

 

Oregon Bounty Grand Tasting Presented by Alaska Airlines

Location: Pioneer Courthouse Square | Date: Friday, September 18, 2015 and Saturday, September 19, 2015 | Time: Friday 1pm-5pm and Saturday 12pm-5pm | Price: $60 (per day)

 

USA Pears Night Market at Zidell Yards

Location: Zidell Yards | Date: Friday, September 18, 2015 | Time: 6pm-9pm | Price: $135

 

Oregonian Media Group Smoked!

Location: The Fields | Date: Saturday, September 19, 2015 | Time: 6pm-9pm | Price: $135

 

Tillamook Brunch Village Presented by Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Card

Location: Pioneer Courthouse Square | Date: Sunday, September 20, 2015 | Time: 11am-2pm | Price: $75

 

Hands-On Classes & Drink Tank Tasting Panels

Location: Throughout Downtown Portland | Date: Friday, September 18, 2015 – Sunday, September 20, 2015 | Prices: $35-$75

 

Dinner Series

Location: KitchenCru Culinary Prepspace and Various Portland Restaurants | Date: Thursday, September 17, 2015 – Sunday, September 20, 2015 | Time: 7pm | Prices: $75-$175

Thursday, September 17

• KitchenCru Dinner Series: Bon Appétit Hot 10 Dinner hosted by editor in chief Adam Rapoport and restaurant and drinks editor Andrew Knowlton


• Dinner Series: Andrew Carmellini and Joshua McFadden at Roman Candle Baking Co.


• Dinner Series: Ken Forkish, Rich Meyer and Nancy Silverton at Trifecta Tavern & Bakery


• Dinner Series: Paul Qui and Andy Ricker at Sen Yai


• Dinner Series: More Girls! Girls! Girls!: Amanda Cohen, Elizabeth Falkner, Jenn Louis and Sarah Schafer at Lincoln Restaurant

Friday, September 18

• KitchenCru Dinner Series: London is a City in Oregon: Ollie Dabbous, Brad Farmerie, James Knappet and Gabriel Rucker


• Dinner Series: Aaron Franklin’s Stumptown Coffee Cookout


• Dinner Series: Jason French and Chris Shepherd at Elder Hall


• Dinner Series: Heartlandia Dinner at The Country Cat Calico Room


• Dinner Series: David Briggs, Scott Dolich and Matt Lightner at Park Kitchen


• Dinner Series: Chris Cosentino, Sam Mason and Vitaly Paley at Paley’s Place

Saturday, September 19

• KitchenCru Dinner Series: Norway/Portland/Austin: Christopher Haatuft, Naomi Pomeroy, Kyle Linden Webster, Paul Qui, Will Preisch and Joel Stocks

Sunday, September 20

• KitchenCru Dinner Series: Crucifery, Vegetables Rock: Franklin Becker, Viet Pham, Katy Millard and Cathy Whims 

Tickets for each event are available for purchase and prices are all-inclusive of food and drink. To experience all of Feast Portland’s marquee events, “The Package” includes one ticket each to the Friday Oregon Bounty Grand Tasting,Saturday Oregon Bounty Grand Tasting, Sandwich Invitational, Night Market, Smoked! and Brunch Village for $530.

 

WHY WE FEAST

 

At its heart, Feast Portland is a festival with a mission, donating all net proceeds towards ending childhood hunger in Oregon and across the country through Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon and No Kid Hungry. Since 2012, Feast Portland has raised over $162,000 towards this cause.

 

Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon (PHFO) builds pathways out of poverty by providing on-the-ground technical and financial assistance to over 300 local children’s meal programs. Over the past five years, PHFO has helped provide over 700,000 meals to at-risk kids in Oregon. With the help of the community and strategic advocacy, PHFO works to make basic needs like food, housing and childcare more accessible for millions of working families. No Kid Hungry, a campaign of national anti-hunger organization Share Our Strength, is ending childhood hunger in America by ensuring that kids start the day with a nutritious breakfast and have healthy meals in the summer, and that families learn the skills they need to shop and cook on a budget. Since the campaign’s launch, No Kid Hungry and its partners have connected kids struggling with hunger with more than 345 million healthy meals.

 

Support and connect with Feast Portland’s charitable partners on social media leading up to and during Feast Portland by using #whywefeast.

Whistler Blackcomb to Celebrate World No Tobacco Day by Installing New Smoke-Free Policy!

This is super great news - I'd love to see more businesses become smoke-free!

On May 31, 2015, Whistler Blackcomb will celebrate World No Tobacco Day by introducing a new smoke-free policy. The policy will prohibit smoking anywhere on Whistler Blackcomb property, including lift lines, chairlifts, gondolas, ski runs, hiking trails, valley base areas, parking lots, Whistler Mountain Bike Park trails and all Whistler Blackcomb bar and restaurant locations, including patios.

“We have made the decision to introduce a smoke-free policy at Whistler Blackcomb to preserve the pristine alpine environment our guests come here for,” says Dave Brownlie, President and CEO at Whistler Blackcomb. “We also recognize as a leader in the outdoor adventure and wellness industry and as the largest employer in the Whistler community, we have a responsibility to our guests and staff to provide a safe and healthy environment for work and play. We believe implementing this new policy aligns with this goal.”

Whistler Blackcomb’s new smoke-free policy will apply to both guests and staff. While the policy will prohibit guests from smoking on Whistler Blackcomb property effective immediately on May 31, 2015, Whistler Blackcomb staff will be permitted to smoke in designated smoking areas for one year as they adjust to the company’s new policy. During the one year period, Whistler Blackcomb will provide tools and resources to assist staff with quitting smoking. As of May 31, 2016, Whistler Blackcomb’s smoke-free policy will also apply to all staff.

An information booth will be set up in Skier’s Plaza on Sunday, May 31 to launch the new policy. Whistler Blackcomb leaders will be on-site to answer any questions as well as representatives from Vancouver Coastal Health, who will have cessation resources and information about the health benefits of quitting smoking on-hand.

“By taking this important step, Whistler Blackcomb is demonstrating it is a strong ambassador for health. We know many young people ski and snowboard, and youth who haven’t started using tobacco by the time they are 26 years old will most likely never start,” says Vancouver Coastal Health Medical Health Officer, Dr. Paul Martiquet. “Eliminating smoking in public places, such as on our mountains, creates healthy role modeling so youth, and others, are less likely to even consider using tobacco.”

The decision to become a smoke-free recreation area and employer aligns with Whistler Blackcomb’s core values of Safety First and We Care, as well as the company’s goal to be health-oriented and family friendly. In addition, the smoke-free policy will help mitigate the risk of forest fires on Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains.

For more information about Whistler Blackcomb’s smoke-free policy, visit www.whistlerblackcomb.com/smokefree.

Information about the Resort Municipality of Whistler’s smoking policy is available at www.whistler.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/1884_2008.pdf.

Guests looking to plan a trip to the consistently rated No. 1 Mountain Resort in North America can visit whistlerblackcomb.com/deals_packages  or call 1-888-403-4727.

About Whistler Blackcomb

Whistler Blackcomb, the official alpine skiing venue for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, is situated in the Resort Municipality of Whistler located in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia 125 kilometres (78 miles) from Vancouver, British Columbia. North America’s premier four season mountain resort, Whistler and Blackcomb are two side-by-side mountains which combined offer over 200 marked runs, 8,171 acres of terrain, 16 alpine bowls, three glaciers, receives on average over 1,164 centimetres (458 inches) of snow annually, and one of the longest ski seasons in North America. In the summer, Whistler Blackcomb offers a variety of activities, including hiking and biking trails, the Whistler Mountain Bike Park, and sightseeing on the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola.

2nd Annual GoPro GoShow Presented by Whistler Blackcomb Returns to Go Fest Whistler May 17

The GoPro GoShow presented by Whistler Blackcomb will return for its second year on May 17 during Whistler’s Great Outdoors Festival (GO Fest). This year, instead of inviting professional filmmakers to compete at the event, Whistler Blackcomb has invited six professional athletes to show off their artistic sides and take on the role of both filmmaker and producer.

“There are so many talented athletes in Whistler who are really skilled at using GoPro cameras to showcase their adventures,” says Chris McLeod, Industry, Film and Communications Supervisor at Whistler Blackcomb. “We have some exciting names confirmed to participate so far and we are looking forward to seeing their creativity shine during multisport season here in Whistler.”

The competing athletes will be required to produce and submit a three to five minute video shot entirely using GoPro cameras. The videos must capture the essence of May in Whistler and need to include action shot on snow, dirt and water. Each athlete will be given a GoPro Hero 4 Black Edition Camera on the evening of May 13 and will be able to start filming their videos immediately. Completed videos must be submitted by 7:45am on May 17. Additionally, 25 per cent of the film must be shot on Whistler Blackcomb terrain and the remainder must be shot within the boundaries of the northernmost point of Pemberton and the southernmost point of Squamish.

Each of the videos will be played in front of a panel of judges and a crowd at the Garibaldi Lift Co. (GLC) on May 17. The athlete whose video wins Best In Show will take home the $2000 grand prize and the title of GoPro GoShow Champion. Competing athletes will be announced through Whistler Blackcomb’s social media channels later this week.

The GoPro Go Show presented by Whistler Blackcomb is free to attend with doors opening at 7pm and the show beginning at 8pm. There will be an after party at the GLC following the event featuring music from DJ Kori K.

More information about the GoPro GoShow presented by Whistler Blackcomb is available at www.whistlerblackcomb.com/events-and-activities/events-calendar.

Guests looking to plan a trip to the consistently rated No. 1 Mountain Resort in North America can visit whistlerblackcomb.com/deals_packages  or call 1-888-403-4727.

About Whistler Blackcomb

Whistler Blackcomb, the official alpine skiing venue for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, is situated in the Resort Municipality of Whistler located in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia 125 kilometres (78 miles) from Vancouver, British Columbia. North America’s premier four season mountain resort, Whistler and Blackcomb are two side-by-side mountains which combined offer over 200 marked runs, 8,171 acres of terrain, 16 alpine bowls, three glaciers, receives on average over 1,164 centimetres (458 inches) of snow annually, and one of the longest ski seasons in North America. In the summer, Whistler Blackcomb offers a variety of activities, including hiking and biking trails, the Whistler Mountain Bike Park, and sightseeing on the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola.

Legs of Steel Win Best in Show at Intersection Presented by Bromley Baseboards at the World Ski & Snowboard Festival

WHISTLER, BC – April 18, 2015 – Rider-managed production company, Legs of Steel, won Best In Show at Intersection presented by Bromley Baseboards last night at the World Ski & Snowboard Festival (WSSF) in Whistler, BC. The audience was wowed by six action packed snow sports films that ranged in content from Ontario snowboard competitions, to Japanese powder-filled tree runs, to Alaskan avalanches and urban ski segments across northern Canada.

The winning edit from Legs of Steel is a part of their upcoming film, Passenger, set to be released in fall 2015. They took home the grand prize of $10,000 for being named Best In Show by the judges.

The People’s Choice award went overwhelmingly to Full Moon Films for their flick, Whishalla, which the crew described as a spoof of the ski film, Valhalla. The all-female crew threw down some amazing riding but their hilarious acting bits had the audience in stitches and sent them home with $2,000 in prizing.

In celebration of WSSF’s 20^th year in Whistler, the format for Intersection presented by Bromley Baseboards was modified for 2015. Crews were allowed to use any footage shot after December 1, 2014 from anywhere in the world. They were also required to salute WSSF’s 20^th year in some way.

To learn more about Intersection presented by Bromley Baseboards and all the teams, visit www.wssf.com/Intersection

To connect with the World Ski & Snowboard Festival online, Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

The World Ski & Snowboard Festival has a brand new mobile app called WSSF Live. It is available for FREE in the App Store and Google Play Store for Apple and Android phones.

Michelle Leroux Hired as Director of Public Relations at Fairmont Chateau Whistler

Michelle Leroux, Whistler local for over ten years, joins Fairmont from Whistler Blackcomb, the No. 1 ranked resort in the world, where she managed teams for Public Relations, Communications and Social Media.

Leroux’s experience as a public relations professional within the sport, tourism and destination travel industry spans almost thirteen years. Three of those years were spent as a consultant where Leroux represented a wide variety of clients including luxury hotel, spa and major sporting events in the media relations and social media realms.

Now at the helm of Public Relations for the Fairmont Chateau Whistler, Leroux will work to leverage the strong media relationships she has made through her career, and develop new connections and partnerships, to ensure North America’s largest ski in, ski out hotel is known as Whistler’s preeminent luxury hotel. With a passion for community and environment, Leroux is excited to bring her brand of story telling, engagement and awareness building to the Fairmont Chateau Whistler.

Leroux earned her Bachelor of Communications, with a specialty in Public Relations, from Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta.

Jonesing for Fresh POW? Winter Still Going Strong at Whistler Blackcomb with Lots of Fresh Snow

[caption id="attachment_10106" align="alignright" width="240"] Photographer: Paul Morrison, Location: Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia, Date: April 13, 2015.[/caption]

Spring Skiing And Riding On Whistler Mountain Until May 18

WHISTLER, BC April 14, 2015 – April showers bring May flowers in the valley, and at Whistler Blackcomb they also bring powder days to the alpine for skiers and snowboarders. With a snow base of 206cm and 35cm of new snow in the last four days, winter is far from over at Whistler Blackcomb*. March delivered a total of 123cm of fresh snow, and two weeks into April, Ullr shows no signs of slowing down. With flurries in the forecast later this week, April is shaping up to be a snow-filled month at Whistler Blackcomb. Blackcomb Mountain’s last day of winter operations is April 19 but Whistler Mountain will remain open for spring skiing and riding until May 18, 2015.

“Whistler Blackcomb is known for offering the longest terrain park season in Canada,” says Brian Finestone, Terrain Parks Manager at Whistler Blackcomb. “Despite a below average snow season, the snow in the high alpine has been consistent and on point all season long. Because the Nintendo Terrain Park on Blackcomb is west facing and sees a lot of sun, we have decided to move the Spring Nintendo Terrain Park over to a more protected zone on Whistler where we will be taking over the T-Bars for a full park offering until late spring.”

The new Whistler Spring Nintendo Terrain Park boasts a higher elevation and a north-facing slope, creating the best possible conditions for spring skiing and riding. The new location offers enough snow for a set of Small, Medium and Large jumps, a banked slalom, and some creative jib lines.

With less than one week left of skiing and riding on Blackcomb Mountain, this is the last week for the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola. The last day of the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola’s Winter Operations is April 19. The PEAK 2 PEAK will re-open for Summer Sightseeing on May 23, 2015.

*Snow base and snowfall measured at Pig Alley Weather Station, 1650m on Whistler Mountain

For the latest updates on the Nintendo Terrain Parks, guests can visit whistlerblackcomb.com/the-mountain/terrain-parks

Guests looking to plan a trip to the consistently rated No. 1 Mountain Resort in North America can visit whistlerblackcomb.com/deals_packages  or call 1-888-403-4727.

The 20^th annual World Ski & Snowboard Festival (WSSF) is happening in Whistler, BC April 10-19, 2015. Visit www.wssf.com for more information.

About Whistler Blackcomb

Whistler Blackcomb, the official alpine skiing venue for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, is situated in the Resort Municipality of Whistler located in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia 125 kilometres (78 miles) from Vancouver, British Columbia. North America’s premier four season mountain resort, Whistler and Blackcomb are two side-by-side mountains which combined offer over 200 marked runs, 8,171 acres of terrain, 16 alpine bowls, three glaciers, receives on average over 1,164 centimetres (458 inches) of snow annually, and one of the longest ski seasons in North America. In the summer, Whistler Blackcomb offers a variety of activities, including hiking and biking trails, the Whistler Mountain Bike Park, and sightseeing on the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola.

For more information, visit http://ww1.whistlerblackcomb.com/media

Proud to be a venue for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games

Bobby Brown & Yuki Tsubota Win Men's and Women's World Skiing Invitational Slopestyle and Vincent Gagnier & Giulia Tanno Win Gibbons Big Air at World Ski & Snowboard Festival in Whistler

The World Skiing Invitational (WSI) continued yesterday at the World Ski & Snowboard Festival in the Blackcomb Terrain Park at Whistler Blackcomb. Bobby Brown and Yuki Tsubota took the wins in the men’s and women’s Association of Freeskiing Professionals (AFP) World Tour Finals Slopestyle and Vincent Gagnier and Giulia Tanno came out on top at the AFP World Tour Finals Gibbons Big Air.

In the best-of two run Men’s Slopestyle Finals, Bobby Brown (USA) held on to the highest score of 88.67, landing him on top of the podium with an $8,000 cheque. Taking home $4,500 in second place was McRae Williams (USA) with a score of 87.92 and rounding out the podium in third place for $2,000 was Antoine Adelisse (FRA) with an 86.25.

Whistler local Yuki Tsubota (CAN) brought her top game to the Women’s Slopestyle Finals earning her a score of 80.50 and a well-deserved first place and $5,000. Finishing the slopestyle season strong in second and third places for $3,000 and $1,500 was Katie Summerhayes (GBR) with a 78.33 and Kim Lamarre (CAN) with a score of 74.00.

Although the location of the Gibbons Big Air jump may have changed this year, the game was the same as skiers wowed the crowd on Blackcomb Mountain Saturday afternoon. In the average score from the best two out of three jump format, Vincent Gagnier (CAN) showcased his signature smooth style with a perfect right 1620 with a genie grab and a right 1260 with an octo grab earning him the top score of 88.50 and the grand prize of a 2015 Arctic Cat M 800 153 sled, valued at approximately $16,000. James Woods (GBR) grabbed second place and $4,000 with a switch right 1080 with lead octo grab and a well-executed right 1260 tail grab for a score of 84.83. In third place winning $2,000 was Elias Ambuehl (SUI), stomping a left double 1260 tail grab and a switch left 1260 mute Japan grab for a score of 82.33.

The Women’s Big Air competition was run simultaneously with the Women’s Slopestyle and it was Giulia Tanno’s (SUI) switch 900 that earned her a score of 83.50 for first place and a new GIANT Reign bike. Katie Summerhayes (GBR) threw a 1080 with a japan grab for a score of 79.50 to earn second place and $1,000 and Sennheiser Momentum headphones. In third place, winning $500 and Sennheiser Momentum headphones was Yuki Tsubota (CAN) who threw a 720 tail grab for a score of 77.50.

Complete results from the World Skiing Invitational can be found at www.wssf.com.

Tickets to the evening gala events are now available for purchase at www.wssf.com.

To connect with the World Ski & Snowboard Festival online, Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

The World Ski & Snowboard Festival has a brand new mobile app called WSSF Live. It is available for FREE in the App Store for Apple and Android phones.

The World Ski & Snowboard Festival (WSSF) is produced by Watermark Communications, a Whistler‐based event production & communications company, and presented in partnership with Tourism Whistler and Whistler Blackcomb. April 2015 marks the 20^th annual World Ski & Snowboard Festival and will celebrate how the event has grown over the years into the largest annual winter sports and music festival in North America. WSSF is a 10 day and night showcase of the best of snow sports, music, arts and mountain culture. Featuring major professional ski and snowboarding competitions, the largest annual free outdoor concert series in Canada, photography and film showcases, and spring skiing at Whistler Blackcomb, the World Ski & Snowboard Festival is the poster child for the ultimate ski and snowboard festival experience. In blazing the way for the youth of tomorrow, the World Ski & Snowboard Festival embodies the mantra: ‘Party in April. Sleep in May.’

FILM TEAMS ANNOUNCED FOR INTERSECTION PRESENTED BY BROMLEY BASEBOARDS AT THE WORLD SKI & SNOWBOARD FESTIVAL

Intersection, presented by Bromley Baseboards returns to the World Ski & Snowboard Festival (WSSF) in Whistler, BC for its fifth year on April 17, 2015. The action sports film competition has become one of the signature events on the WSSF schedule and has seen some of the top ski and snowboard crews battle it out over the years for the title of Best In Show and the $10,000 grand prize.

In celebration of WSSF’s 20^th year in Whistler, some format changes have been made to the Intersection submission requirements for 2015. For the first time ever, crews will be allowed to use footage shot anywhere in the world from December 1, 2014 onward in their films. In previous years, crews were required to only use footage shot within 100km of Whistler, BC and all teams had the same seven day window to shoot, edit and produce their submission. The decision to switch up the format for 2015 was made to make the contest more accessible to teams from all over the world and hopefully attract some new crews to the event.

“We have been really fortunate to have had some incredibly talented teams compete in Intersection over the years,” says Jaime Kerrigan, Multimedia Events Producer for the World Ski & Snowboard Festival. “For the fifth year of the event and our 20^th annual WSSF, we were hoping to spread our reach to give even more crews the opportunity to get involved. In addition, with this new format for 2015 audience members will get to check out some of the best ski and snowboard footage captured this year, and they will get to see it before everyone else does. So that’s really exciting and we are pumped to see what this year’s teams put together.”

With an extended timeframe and no limits to location, each of the chosen crews have been tasked with producing a unique five to seven minute edit that incorporates an artistic vision and a whole lot of shredding. Seventy-five per cent of all footage must be on snow, plus all crews must somehow acknowledge WSSF’s 20 year history in their submission.

The crews participating in Intersection this year at WSSF include:

Full Moon Film

Full Moon Film is a creative documentary about connecting the past, present and future of women's snowboarding with some of the best current pro snowboarders in the world. This crew will be traveling in search of the best powder, right in their own backyard of beautiful British Columbia.  These women will be exploring everything from the mountains to the ocean and everything in between, showcasing personality and progressive riding. The film will feature riding from Leanne Pelosi, Marie France Roy, Robin Van Gyn, Hana Beaman, Annie Boulanger, Helen Schettini, Jamie Anderson, Tara Dakides and Barrett Christy.

Kontakt Films
Team Kontakt Films presents ON. Weekends, a short film focusing on the freestyle snowboarding scene in Ontario. Based in a province where the biggest resort has a vertical drop of 720ft, Kontakt Films has recognized Ontario is still a breeding ground for some of the best freestyle snowboarders in Canada. From a new and innovative rail jam in downtown Toronto, to the annual grassroots DownLow competition at Mt. St. Louis Moonstone, to a strictly fun session with friends, ON. Weekends will show a cross section of freestyle snowboarding in Ontario and demonstrate the province’s passion for the sport.

Legs of Steel

Legs of Steel was born in 2009, produced from the ideas and passion of four friends and professional freeskiers with the common goal of making high quality and innovative ski movies. The crew is in the final stages of filming for the fall 2015 release of their two year project, titled Passenger. The edit they will be producing for Intersection is an excerpt from a European Alps segment from their full-length film and will celebrate the 20 year history of the World Ski & Snowboard Festival.

Meanwhile in Canada
In 2014, the Meanwhile in Canada crew travelled from Vancouver to Halifax in an RV to produce a cross-Canada urban ski film. The project was hugely successful and even won the Best AM Film Award at the International Freeskiing Film Festival this fall. After the Canadian West Coast experienced an unusually mild winter, the crew decided to return to the RV in search of finding colder temperatures in Canada’s great white north. Mack Jones, Rob Heule, Pat Slimmon, Graeme Meiklejohn and Stewart Medford combine forces for another urban ski epic with their latest project, Ski The North.

UBC Freeride Collab
The UBC Freeride Collab brings together the next generation of skiers, snowboarders and filmmakers to present a look into their lives chasing winter.

The Wildcats

The iconic Wildcats crew, who first made their mark on snowboarding over 15 years ago, have reunited to produce a new full length movie called Wildcats Never Die. The film will celebrate the crew’s long history in the industry while at the same time recognizing the new faces of snowboarding. The crew has travelled the globe in search of this season’s best snow and has captured some amazing riding in the process. The film will feature Devun Walsh, Eero Niemela, Ryan Tiene, Benji Ritchie, Charles Reid, Romain deMarche, Jf Pelchat, Iikka Backstrom, Kale Stephens, Gaetan Chanut, Chris Brown, Chris Dufficy, and all the original Wildcats.

Whistler Creek Productions

Whistler Creek Productions’ latest project, Balance, follows the legendary David Carrier Porcheron (aka DCP) as he reflects on snow, skate and surf culture. The film explores the global hotspots of boarding culture, including Whistler, Indonesia, Shanghai and Norway, and will feature riding from DCP, Terje Haakonsen, Manuel Diaz, Clint Allan, Taj Burrow, Rizal Tanjung, David Gonzalez, and many others.

More information about Intersection, including ticket information, is available at wssf.com/Intersection.

 

Don’t Miss…

The WSSF Outdoor Concert Series, featuring free daily concerts in Skier’s Plaza at the base of Whistler Mountain every day from April 10 to 19. Recent additions to the Outdoor Concert Series lineup include The Sociables, Live In The House, Case of the Mondays, Railway Prophets, Neph, Animal Nation and LOZEN. More information available at wssf.com/Free-Outdoor-Concert-Series.

The Silent Disco, taking place at the Garibaldi Lift Company (GLC) at the base of Whistler Mountain on April 17. Attendees will be provided with headphones and can then choose between listening to DJ Canosis, DJ Foxy Moron or Kid Kicko as they dance the night away. More information available at wssf.com/Silent-Disco.

Tickets to the evening gala events are now available for purchase at www.wssf.com.

 

To connect with the World Ski & Snowboard Festival online, Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

 

The World Ski & Snowboard Festival has a brand new mobile app called WSSF Live. It is available for FREE in the App Store for Apple and Android phones.

Skullcandy State of the Art Back at World Ski & Snowboard Festival

Skullcandy State Of The ART returns to the World Ski & Snowboard Festival (WSSF) this spring to showcase international talent and encourage local inspiration. Skullcandy State Of The ART is a creative mix of mountain culture and artistic minds, which perfectly embodies the ethos of WSSF.  The gallery, showcasing over 50 artists, is set up in the Grand Foyer of the Whistler Conference Centre for the entire 10 days of WSSF and is free admission for attendees.

The Skullcandy State Of The ART Opening Party will kick things off on April 10 from 8pm to midnight. Guests will be able to rub shoulders with the featured artists, soak in the interactive demonstrations and of course, get first crack at purchasing a unique piece of art. The party will feature DJ Vinyl Ritchie spinning 45s, live caricatures from filmmaker Murray Siple, models dressed in clothing art by Angela Cooney, and performance art presented by Pokosha, a clothing brand from Squamish, BC.

The Skullcandy State Of The ART gallery will be open to the public from 12pm to 6pm daily with no entry fee required until after 8pm when tickets are necessary to enter the Whistler Conference Centre for evening gala events. There will be a cash bar and a DJ spinning in the gallery before all of the evening events, including the OLYMPUS 72 Hour Filmmaker Showdown, the OLYMPUS Pro Photographer Showdown and Intersection, presented by Bromley Baseboards. The only exception is during the Silence of the Slams invitational roller derby bout on April 11 when the State Of The ART gallery will remain open with free access for the general public during the bout.

Skullcandy has partnered with Zero Ceiling once again this year to help raise funds for the Whistler-based charity. Twenty-five headphones will be painted by State Of The ART artists and will be on display in the gallery for the duration of the Festival. These one of a kind headphones will be available to bid on by silent auction with one hundred per cent of the proceeds going directly to Zero Ceiling’s life changing programs.

To encourage younger generations to be creative, Skullcandy State Of The ART will once again feature a Youth Gallery, which will host a collection of art and skateboards painted by young Whistler artists. There will also be a Creation Station where various experienced artists will be doing live art demonstrations between 3-6pm every day.

There will also be a photography wall and a topsheet art display from Prior Skis & Snowboards in the gallery.

WSSF will once again be hosting an online store to complement the Skullcandy State Of The ART gallery so the featured art can be browsed and purchased online. The online store will showcase all the same works featured in the State Of The ART gallery and can be viewed at www.artstore.wssf.com. The online store goes live at 11:11pm on April 3 and will remain open through to April 20.

For more information about Skullcandy State Of The ART at the World Ski & Snowboard Festival, visit www.wssf.com/event/state-art.

Don’t Miss…

The World Ski & Snowboard Festival keeps the party going well into the night with a full lineup of nightlife and official after parties, including:

April 12: Grown Up In The Mountain – A Comedy Show at Maxx Fish

April 15: The OLYMPUS 72 Hour Filmmaker Showdown official after party at the Longhorn Saloon

April 17: The Official Intersection presented by Bromley Baseboards after party with DJ Billy The Kidd at Garfinkles

April 17:  Hedspin with DJ Dakota and DJ Corner at the Longhorn Saloon

Additional information is available at wssf.com/Parties-and-Nightlife.

Tickets to the evening gala events are now available for purchase at www.wssf.com.

To connect with the World Ski & Snowboard Festival online, Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

The World Ski & Snowboard Festival has a brand new mobile app called WSSF Live. It is available for FREE in the App Store and Google Play Store for Apple and Android phones.

Hilton Worldwide Appoints Frank Welton as Area General Manager of Seattle/Northwest

Frank Welton general manager of Hilton Seattle Airport & Conference Center and DoubleTree by Hilton Seattle Airport, a position he has held since 2005 has been promoted to the position of area general manager of Seattle/Northwest region.  Welton’s expanded responsibilities encompass supervision of the teams and operations at five additional hotels: Hilton Portland, Embassy Suites Portland Downtown, Hilton Vancouver, DoubleTree Spokane City Center and Embassy Suites Seattle – Tacoma Airport.  He will continue to oversee the management and operations of the Hilton and DoubleTree hotels at Seattle Airport with a combined flexible function space of over 80,000 square feet and 1,250 guest rooms.   Welton will report directly to Area Vice President of Operations, Jerry Gibson.

“Frank has a proven track record of creating a long-term vision, said Gibson.  “He also has a wealth of industry knowledge, participating in the company mergers/acquisitions of Red Lion Hotels, Doubletree Hotels, Promus Hotels, and Hilton Hotels Corporation making him an excellent choice for this key regional position and expanding market.”

A hospitality industry veteran, Welton has been recognized with industry and Hilton awards for superior performance including the Washington Lodging Association “General Manager of the Year.”

Active in community leadership, he currently serves on several boards including:  Seattle Southside Regional Tourism Authority, SeaTac Tax Advisory Committee, vice chairman of the Washington Lodging Association and past director of the American Hotel & Lodging Association.

Welton attended Central Washington University and resides in the Seattle area. When time permits, he enjoys boating, golfing and spending time with his family which includes three grandchildren.

MSTRKRFT and Swollen Members Added to the World Ski & Snowboard Festival Music Lineup

Plus New Events: The Monster Energy In The Beginning Party At The Bearfoot Bistro, The Whistler Comedy Showdown and Girls Gettin’ It Done Movie Night 

WHISTLER, BC – March 27, 2015 – Even more music has been added to the Outdoor Concert Series and Kokanee Freeride Club Series lineup at the World Ski & Snowboard Festival (WSSF) in Whistler, BC.

MSTRKRFT will play a free show in Skier’s Plaza at the base of Whistler Mountain on Sunday, April 19 to close out the WSSF Outdoor Concert Series. MSTRKRFT will turn the energy up and have the crowd dancing one last time before the 20^th annual WSSF begins to wind down for another year.

Swollen Members will play a free show in Skier’s Plaza on Saturday, April 11, following the Gibbon’s Big Air which will be held in the Nintendo Terrain Park on Blackcomb Mountain. Swollen Members has close ties with the Festival and have been a part of the WSSF Outdoor Concert Series lineup more times than any other band in WSSF’s 20 year history.

Longstride has joined the Outdoor Concert Series lineup on April 15 and will also play a Kokanee Freeride Club Series show at the Longhorn later that night.

Smalltown DJs, DJ Pump and Illo have all been confirmed to play Monster Energy’s In The Beginning party at the Bearfoot Bistro on Saturday, April 11. In The Beginning is a new event for 2015 and has been added to the WSSF schedule of events to kick things off in true Whistler style. Tickets are available for purchase at wssf.com/In-the-Beginning.

Also new for 2015, the Whistler Comedy Showdown is happening on Tuesday, April 14. The Whistler Comedy Showdown is a stand-up comedy competition featuring a lineup of both newbies and well-known comedians from the Sea to Sky Corridor. The competition will be held at Buffalo Bills with two preliminary rounds, the first on March 31 and the second on April 7. The top three comedians from each show (plus wildcards) will move on to the finale round on April 14 during WSSF. Details and ticket information available at wssf.com/Whistler-Comedy-Showdown.

Girls Gettin’ It Done: Monday Movie Night is another new event on the WSSF schedule for 2015. The event will celebrate women in sport and film and will leave viewers feeling empowered and inspired. The night will feature two films: The Little Things and Pretty Faces. The Little Things, by Darcy Turenne and Marie-France Roy is a snowboard movie project with a serious environmental message, while Pretty Faces from Unicorn Picnic Productions is an all-girl ski film that celebrates the women who are pushing the sport of skiing and living life to the fullest. More information about the event and the films is available at wssf.com/Girls-Gettin-It-Done.

For those who want to get involved with the World Ski & Snowboard Festival:

Registration is now open for the Monster Energy Shred Show Boarderstyle. Entry is free but interested athletes must register online in advance at wssf.com/The-Shred-Show. This year’s event will see a new women’s category and over $6,000 in total prize money. Online registration closes April 14 at 5pm PST.

Filmmakers can now register to compete in the OLYMPUS 72 Hour Filmmaker Showdown. Participants have 72 hours to film, edit and deliver a three to five minute short film all shot within 100km of Whistler beginning April 10. Up to ten films will be selected by an esteemed review panel and screened at the Whistler Conference Centre in front of a live audience on Wednesday, April 15. There is over $10,000 in prizing on the line for the team that wins Best In Show and Olympus is offering a bonus prize of an additional $5,000 if the winning film is shot entirely using Olympus cameras and lenses. More information available at http://www.wssf.com/filmmaker-registration.

WSSF is always looking for volunteers to help out behind the scenes to help put on Whistler’s biggest party of the season. People interested in volunteering can register at wssf.com/Volunteer.

For those who want to make a difference:

The Sea to Sky Walk a Mile in Her Shoes fundraiser returns to WSSF on Sunday, April 12, where men from up and down the Sea to Sky Corridor will rally together to raise awareness in our community about the serious causes, effects and remediation of violence against women. Participants will don bright red high heels and march through Whistler Village at 4pm. Advanced registration is available at wssf.com/Walk-A-Mile-in-Her-Shoes or men can sign up on the day in front of Moguls Coffee House at 3pm. All proceeds from the event go to support the Whistler Women’s Centre.

Whistler Dog Fest returns to WSSF on Saturday, April 18. Dog Fest has been a part of the WSSF schedule since 1998 because Whistler knows canine companions like to party too. A fundraiser for the BC Humane Society, this year’s event will include a dog parade, exhibitions, agility demonstrations and competitions. More information will be posted to wssf.com/Whistler-DogFest as it becomes available.

WSSF’s annual Best of the Fest event will take place at the Garibaldi Lift Co. (GLC) on Sunday, April 19. Tickets are available at wssf.com/Best-of-the-Fest with all proceeds from the event going to Playground Builders, a charitable organization that builds safe play areas for children in underprivileged or war-torn regions. The winning shows from the Olympus 72 Hour Filmmaker Showdown, Olympus Pro Photographer Showdown and Intersection will be shown at the event.

For the kids and the young at heart:

Big Air Bear, the World Ski & Snowboard Festival’s official mascot, will celebrate his 13^th birthday with his cuddly companions at Mascot Mayhem on Sunday, April 19. Families are welcome to join Big Air Bear and his best friends for cake, games and good times in Whistler’s Village Square at 12:30pm. More information available at wssf.com/Mascot-Mayhem.

Tickets to the evening gala events are now available for purchase at www.wssf.com.

To connect with the World Ski & Snowboard Festival online, Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

The World Ski & Snowboard Festival has a brand new mobile app called WSSF Live. It is available for FREE in the App Store for Apple and Android phones.

The World Ski & Snowboard Festival (WSSF) is produced by Watermark Communications, a Whistler‐based event production & communications company, and presented in partnership with Tourism Whistler and Whistler Blackcomb. April 2015 will mark the 20^th annual World Ski & Snowboard Festival and will celebrate how the event has grown over the years into the largest annual winter sports and music festival in North America. WSSF is a 10 day and night showcase of the best of snow sports, music, arts and mountain culture. Featuring major professional ski and snowboarding competitions, the largest annual free outdoor concert series in Canada, photography and film showcases, and spring skiing at Whistler Blackcomb, the World Ski & Snowboard Festival is the poster child for the ultimate ski and snowboard festival experience. In blazing the way for the youth of tomorrow, the World Ski & Snowboard Festival embodies the mantra: ‘Party in April. Sleep in May.’

Bend Beer Chase is the Longest Beer Relay in the United States

Cascade Relays has announced the 2^nd annual Bend Beer Chase will be held on Saturday, June 6^th, 2015. The Bend Beer Chase is the longest beer relay in the United States with over 16 craft breweries along the course. With a race like this, it’s not just about the beer at the finish line party, but more about experiencing and visiting the local craft breweries along the course itself.

The Bend Beer Chase is a one-day, six person running relay that showcases the best of the Central Oregon craft brewery scene. Bend has become widely known for it’s craft beer scene, and the surrounding towns of Redmond and Sisters are closely following suit. The organizers expect nearly 1000 runners in the second year, with 75% of the runners coming from outside of Central Oregon to enjoy a weekend of running and beer tasting. With a team of six runners, each runner can expect to run approximately 9-11 miles, split between two legs. Throughout the event, participants will sample craft beer directly from the breweries along the course route.

Bend Beer Chase is introducing their own version of the increasingly popular Beer Mile Race. Leg 8 of the relay will offer the option to compete in the Beer Leg, which involves drinking a pint of beer at Three Creeks Brewing. Beer Leg runners will then complete a 4.8-mile trail run and complete the leg with a pint of beer at the finish of the leg. The winner will be judged on the fastest male and female to complete the Beer Leg challenge.

In addition to the 16 craft breweries that participants visit along the course route, the Bend Beer Chase also includes a visit to Bend based Bendistillery and Atlas Cider. The course, while not finalized, will be similar to the 2014 course of 70 miles. The race will start in Bend, travel to Redmond and Sisters and returns to Bend for the finish. The finish line and brew fest will be held at Crux Fermentation Project.

Once a team has completed the relay portion all runners on the team will complete the “Keg Leg” together. The Keg Leg, which also allows individuals to register and run the Keg Leg only, involves 6-7 brewery visits, finishing on the lawn at Crux Fermentation Project. Breweries will be providing runners a sample of their beer along with games and prizes at their breweries.

About Cascade Relays: Cascade Relays is a small, local business with a mission to provide exceptional race experiences, while supporting local communities along course routes. Owners Scott and Carrie Douglass, prioritize rural courses, local vendors & small businesses, personal relationships and supporting local non-profits. Since 2008, Cascade Relays has directly contributed over $175,000 to local non-profit and community groups. Cascade Relays currently produces the Cascade Lakes Relay, Spokane to Sandpoint Relay and the Bend Beer Chase.

Over Two Months of Skiing and Boarding Left: Mt. Bachelor Continues Daily Operations with 3rd Deepest Snowpack in US

With 41” of snow at the base and 85” at mid-mountain, Mt. Bachelor has the third deepest snowpack in the United States as of Sunday, March 15 according to onthesnow.com. The healthy snowpack allows the resort to continue daily operations when most other resorts in the Pacific Northwest are closed due to a lack of snow.

Resort officials say Mt. Bachelor’s higher elevation has made a big difference this year. “It’s been a warm winter with the snow level frequently hovering between 6,000 and 7,000 feet,” according to Mt. Bachelor’s president and general manager, Dave Rathbun. “Fortunately, the vast majority of Mt. Bachelor’s ski terrain is above that elevation and much of the mountain received snow when most other areas were getting rain.”

With confidence in its snowpack, Mt. Bachelor will offer a discounted spring season pass valid for unlimited skiing and riding from Monday, March 30 through the end of the 2014-2015 season. The lowest prices will be available during a 96 hour sale from noon on Thursday, March 19 until noon on Monday, March 23. Pass prices during the sale are $149 for adults (19-64), $129 for teens (13-18) and seniors (65-69) and $99 for youth (6-12) and seniors (70+). Spring passes will remain available for purchase after the sale ends, but at higher prices.

In addition to downhill skiing and snowboarding, Mt. Bachelor’s Nordic Center continues to offer the only groomed cross country trails in the Oregon Cascades with nearly 30 km open for skate and classic skiing. Non-skiers have a snow play option at Mt. Bachelor as well; the resort’s Snowblast Tubing Park will reopen Friday and will operate every day through spring break.

Mt. Bachelor intends to operate into May until its planned closing date of May 24, 2015 if conditions allow. “We’re looking forward to hosting guests from throughout the Far West,” Rathbun added. “The open ski terrain is well-covered and expansive. We think you’ll have a lot of fun skiing or riding at Mt. Bachelor this spring.”

Additional information about Mt. Bachelor’s spring season can be found here:

http://www.mtbachelor.com/site/tickets/season_pass/springtacular/spring_passes 

About Mt. Bachelor: Mt. Bachelor is the largest ski resort in the Cascade Range, offering 3,683 acres of lift-accessible terrain. The mountain features 10 lifts, seven of which are Express Quads, plus two tubing lifts and two beginner carpets and an average annual snowfall of 462 inches. Mt. Bachelor also features 5 terrain parks, a superpipe, 56K of groomed and tracked cross country trails, snowshoeing, tubing, sled dog rides and summer attractions including downhill mountain biking. For weather conditions, news, and events visit www.mtbachelor.com.

Blackcomb Mountain and Peak 2 Peak Gondola to Open at Whistler Blackcomb Thursday November 27

On Thursday, November 27, Whistler Blackcomb will complete its winter kick-off by opening Blackcomb Mountain to skiers and snowboarders.

In addition to the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola, Blackcomb Mountain will have six lifts running including Wizard Express, Solar Coaster Express, Excalibur Gondola, Excelerator Express, Catskinner Chair and Jersey Cream Express. Skiers and snowboarders will have access to 730m (2,395ft) of vertical skiing and six runs, including Cruiser, Upper ZigZag, Green Line, Express Way to Easy Out and Wishbone. The Nintendo Choker Terrain Park will also be open with two jumps and 12 rails.

Dining locations open on Blackcomb Mountain as of November 27 include the Wizard Grill and Merlin’s Bar and Grill at the base of Blackcomb and the Rendezvous Lodge and Glacier Creek Lodge on the mountain.

Since its early opening five days ahead of schedule on November 22, Whistler Mountain has opened the Children’s Learning Centre and a ski out to Olympic Station via the Expressway run. Whistler Mountain is currently offering 750m (2,369ft) of vertical to skiers and snowboarders.

First upload via the Whistler Village Gondola, Creekside Gondola, Excalibur Gondola and the Wizard Express Chair will be at 8:30amwith the last ride up from the valley at 2:00pm. Mandatory download is in effect from the top of the Wizard Express and Excalibur Gondola on Blackcomb Mountain and from Olympic Station and Creekside Gondola on Whistler Mountain. Sightseers can access the mountain and the PEAK 2 PEAK via the Whistler Village Gondola.

Guests are reminded early season conditions still apply, especially off piste. It is important to obey mountain signage, ski and ride on open runs only and stay within the operational area marked by “Temporary Boundary” signage.

Lifts tickets will be available from the Whistler Village, Creekside and Blackcomb Daylodge ticket windows or online at www.whistlerblackcomb.com. Edge Cards are also available at the early bird rates until November 30 for Canadians and Washington State residents.

Guests looking to plan a trip to the consistently rated No. 1 Mountain Resort in North America can visit whistlerblackcomb.com/deals_packages  or call 1-888-403-4727.

About Whistler Blackcomb

Whistler Blackcomb, the official alpine skiing venue for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, is situated in the Resort Municipality of Whistler located in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia 125 kilometres (78 miles) from Vancouver, British Columbia. North America’s premier four season mountain resort, Whistler and Blackcomb are two side-by-side mountains which combined offer over 200 marked runs, 8,171 acres of terrain, 16 alpine bowls, three glaciers, receives on average over 1,165 centimetres (459 inches) of snow annually, and one of the longest ski seasons in North America. In the summer, Whistler Blackcomb offers a variety of activities, including hiking and biking trails, the Whistler Mountain Bike Park, and sightseeing on the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola.

For more information, visit http://ww1.whistlerblackcomb.com/media

Proud to be a venue for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games

Whistler Blackcomb Opening on Saturday November 22nd Ahead of Schedule

Much to the delight of eager skiers and snowboarders, Whistler Blackcomb will be opening five days ahead of schedule on Saturday, November 22. The decision to kick off the winter season early was made possible after natural snowfall at higher elevations was followed by a streak of below average temperatures, providing prime conditions for snowmaking.

“Our snowmaking team has been working hard to take advantage of this early season cold snap in Whistler and has converted over 60 million gallons of water into snow over the past few weeks,” says Doug MacFarlane, Director of Mountain Operations at Whistler Blackcomb. “Their efforts, combined with the natural snowfall we have already received at higher elevations, has enabled us to get things rolling early again this year. And with more natural snow in the forecast for later this week, it should be a fun opening weekend.”

Whistler Mountain will be opening five days ahead of schedule on Saturday, November 22 with five lifts running. Guests will have the option to upload from either the base of Whistler Mountain via the Whistler Village Gondola, featuring brand new cabins, or the Creekside base via the Creekside Gondola. Blackcomb Mountain will open, as scheduled, on Thursday, November 27, 2014.

“With all the excitement of opening day, we want to remind guests early season conditions will apply, especially off piste,” says MacFarlane. “It is important to obey all mountain signage, ski and ride on open runs only and stay within the operational area marked by ‘Temporary Boundary’ signage.”

First upload on the Whistler Village Gondola and Creekside Gondola will begin at 8:30am, with last upload at 2pm on November 22, with mandatory download off the mountain. Emerald Express, Big Red Express and the Franz Chair lifts will be running, allowing access to 1800 vertical feet of skiing and riding terrain. Runs set to open include Upper and Lower Ego Bowl, Upper Whiskey Jack, Upper Franz’s, Papoose, Orange Peel and Pony Trail. There will also be a small terrain park accessible from the top of the Emerald Express chair and green learning terrain serviced by a Super Carpet at Olympic Station. Guests can keep updated on the most current lift status information at www.whistlerblackcomb.com/the-mountain/lifts-and-grooming or from mobile devices via the Whistler Blackcomb LIVE app, powered by TELUS.

Opening day guests will have the first chance to experience the brand new Whistler Village Gondola cabins installed this fall. The new Sigma “Diamond” level walk-in cabins dramatically improve the experience for skiers, snowboarders, and sightseers with eight passengers able to sit comfortably on bench seating. The new cabin configuration also gives guests the option of bringing their ski/snowboard equipment inside with them or storing it themselves in the outside racks provided.

Opening day will be the first time skiers and riders at Whistler Blackcomb will experience the benefits of the newly introduced RFID technology around the mountains, including mountain access gates at most lifts. Guests are reminded to store their new RFID Access Cards in a left-side pocket away from cell phones, credit cards and foil in order to reduce signal interference at the access gates. For more information about RFID at Whistler Blackcomb, visit www.whistlerblackcomb.com/rfid.

Whistler Mountain dining locations set to open on November 22 include Essentially Blackcomb Cappuccino Bar and Garbo’s Grill in the Carleton Lodge, Dusty’s Bar & Grill and Dusty’s Backside in Creekside, the Roundhouse Lodge on Whistler Mountain, and the Garibaldi Lift Co., Whistler’s world-famous location for après.

Whistler Blackcomb Guest Relations in Whistler Village is currently operating daily from 9am to 5pm. The Blackcomb Day Lodge and Creekside Guest Relations will also be open from 9am to 5pm daily beginning Wednesday, November 19. All three locations will be open from 9am to 7pm on Friday, November 21 and from 7am to 5pm on Saturday, November 22. From November 23 onwards only the Village and Creekside Guest Relations will operate daily from 8am to 5pm until Wednesday, November 26 when the Blackcomb Day Lodge will open again in preparation for Blackcomb Mountain opening for skiing/riding on November 27. The Hours of Operation for all Guest Relations locations can be found at www.whistlerblackcomb.com/the-mountain/hours-of-operation.

Ski and snowboard rentals will be available at the base of Whistler Mountain at Gondola Rentals, from 8am – 5pm, Essentially Blackcomb from 7am – 5pm, the Salomon Store from 8am – 8pm, and the Fairmont and Can-Ski Westin from 8am-6pm. Can-Ski Creekside will be open at the Creekside base from 8am – 5pm.

Private and adult Max 4 ski and snowboard lessons will be available on Whistler Mountain, and can be booked online or by calling 1-800-766-0449. Discover Whistler Days are on now through to December 14 offering 25 per cent off select group snow school lessons.

Beginning November 22, Whistler Blackcomb’s Snow Report will be updated daily throughout the season and can be accessed online or by calling 604-932-4211 in Whistler, 604-687-7507 in Vancouver, or toll-free at 1-800-766-0449.

For Canadian and Washington State residents, Whistler Blackcomb offers the EDGE Card, allowing guests to ski/ride from $69 (CDN) a day. EDGE Cards are valid for use all season long, and are available at early bird pricing until November 30, atwww.whistlerblackcomb.com/save. 

About Whistler Blackcomb

Whistler Blackcomb, the official alpine skiing venue for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, is situated in the Resort Municipality of Whistler located in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia 125 kilometres (78 miles) from Vancouver, British Columbia. North America’s premier four season mountain resort, Whistler and Blackcomb are two side-by-side mountains which combined offer over 200 marked runs, 8,171 acres of terrain, 16 alpine bowls, three glaciers, receives on average over 1,165 centimetres (459 inches) of snow annually, and one of the longest ski seasons in North America. In the summer, Whistler Blackcomb offers a variety of activities, including hiking and biking trails, the Whistler Mountain Bike Park, and sightseeing on the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola.

Ski Magazine Readers Name Whistler Blackcomb #1 Ski Area

The 27^th annual SKI Magazine Reader’s Poll has named Whistler Blackcomb the No. 1 overall best ski resort in North America. The online survey saw 41,000 resort rankings submitted by SKI Magazine readers and ranks the top 50 North American ski resorts in a variety of categories valued by ski and snowboard enthusiasts. In addition to being voted No. 1 in overall ranking, Whistler Blackcomb also received top marks in the terrain variety, off-hill activity and après categories, solidifying the resort truly has something to offer everyone.

“We are honoured to receive this recognition from the readers of SKI Magazine,” says Dave Brownlie, President and Chief Executive Officer at Whistler Blackcomb. “As the longest running and most comprehensive survey of its kind, we know the SKI Magazine rankings influence people’s decisions when planning their ski vacations around the world so we are grateful to be recognized as No. 1. Our size, terrain variety and on-mountain experiences combined with our resort lodging, dining and off-hill activities create a unique, unmatched experience in North America for all skiers and riders.”

The annual Reader’s Poll was revealed today on social media and on SKImag.com, and will be published in SKI Magazine’s Resort Guide, hitting newsstands at the end of September. Along with being named No. 1 overall, in variety of terrain, off-hill activities, and après, Whistler Blackcomb also scored highly in a number of other categories, including No. 2 in the lifts, lodging, and dining categories.

"Congratulations to Whistler Blackcomb on this well-deserved honor," says Andy Bigford, SKI's publisher. "Our readers are smart, savvy, well-traveled and consistently blown away by Whistler's vastness and variety, both on and off the hill. I wholeheartedly agree with the reader who wrote: ‘Every skier should have Whistler on a bucket list.'”

Whistler Blackcomb also saw huge gains in a number of categories over last year’s Reader’s Poll. Whistler Blackcomb moved up 13 spots over last year in grooming, 27 spots in value and three spots in the lifts category, likely a nod to Whistler Blackcomb’s $18 million investment into the new Crystal Ridge Express and Harmony 6 Express chairlifts in 2013-2014.

In its continuous effort to consistently elevate the guest experience, Whistler Blackcomb will be introducing a number of upgrades and improvements across the resort for the 2014-2015 winter season. Highlights include new eight passenger gondola cabins for the Whistler Village Gondola and new radio-frequency identification (“RFID”) technology with lift access control gates on most mountain lifts. For more information about everything new and exciting at Whistler Blackcomb for the upcoming ski season, visit www.whistlerblackcomb.com/about-us/news-releases/sept-15-2014.

Whistler Blackcomb’s official opening day is November 27, 2014, but with good early season conditions the resort can always be counted on to open early. 

Guests looking to plan a trip to the consistently rated No. 1 Mountain Resort in North America can visit whistlerblackcomb.com/deals_packages  or call 1-888-403-4727.

About Whistler Blackcomb

Whistler Blackcomb, the official alpine skiing venue for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, is situated in the Resort Municipality of Whistler located in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia 125 kilometres (78 miles) from Vancouver, British Columbia. North America’s premier four season mountain resort, Whistler and Blackcomb are two side-by-side mountains which combined offer over 200 marked runs, 8,171 acres of terrain, 16 alpine bowls, three glaciers, receives on average over 1,165 centimetres (459 inches) of snow annually, and one of the longest ski seasons in North America. In the summer, Whistler Blackcomb offers a variety of activities, including hiking and biking trails, the Whistler Mountain Bike Park, and sightseeing on the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola.