CAMDEN — Tuesday night's Camden Select Board meeting kicked off with an update and preview of the upcoming Camden Winterfest and 26th annual U.S. National Toboggan Championships events.

Camden Development Director Karen Brace and volunteer Toboggan Committee Chairman Holly Edwards gave the rundowns, with T-shirts bearing the 2016 Toboggan Championships poster design handed out to each of the five select board members.

Earlier this winter, Select Board Chairman John French challenged Rockport Select Board Chairman Bill Chapman to a one-run toboggan challenge during the championships. The challenge came as Rockport celebrates its 125th anniversary of "independence" from Camden in governance.

The winner of the two-town throw down challenge will take home a trophy being crafted in commemoration of the inaugural race, in anticipation that it will become an annual rite to race head-to-head for the trophy, which will be displayed in the winner's town office for the year.

Racing for the Camden team on Saturday, Feb. 6, at the start of the four-person division first runs will be French and fellow select board members Jim Heard and Leonard Lookner. The Rockport team is slated to include Chapman, Geoff Parker, Ken McKinley and Owen Casas.

Camden Select Board member Don White is slated to join French, Heard and Lookner before the runoff race in judging the Toboggan Championships costume contest, an annual tradition. (Select Board member Martin Cates will be out of town on vacation that weekend.) Weather permitting, the costume parade in front of the judges will be serenaded by the Blue Hill community based steel drum band, Planet Pan.

During the six days prior to the official start of Toboggan weekend on Friday, Feb. 5, Camden Winterfest kicks off Saturday, Jan. 30 with The Ice Festival in the Amphitheater, CamJam Freestyle Skiing and Snowboarding Demonstrations in Harbor Park and Maine's only sanctioned Snow Sculpting Competition on the Village Green.

In addition to various awards ceremonies on Sunday, Jan. 31, the week includes numerous family events at the library, leading up to a big concert Thursday, Feb. 4, at Camden Opera House with Zydeco musicians CJ Chenier and the Red Hot Louisiana Band with opening local act, Dolphin Strikers.

Additional Winterfest-organized and hosted events downtown include a snowplow parade Friday night, Feb. 5, and fireworks, followed by a Mardis Gras parade and dance with local band Just Teachers performing Saturday, Feb. 6.

The Toboggan Committee is holding another regular meeting Friday, Jan. 22, which will also be a safety review meeting with Camden fire and police, representatives from North East Mobile Health and the Snow Bow Ski Patrol. Friday, Jan. 29 is Media Day.

So far, sponsorship is on par with 2015, with plenty of opportunities for businesses, organizations and individuals to join in and sponsor Maine’s Mardi Gras, which benefit the Camden Snow Bowl. To inquire about being a sponsor, contact Andrew Dailey by calling 207-522-4933.

For more information, check out the following links:

• Camden Snow Bowl
• Camden Winterfest
• 2016 Winterfest and U.S. National Toboggan Championships - Maine's Mardi Gras!