Loon Echo Trust celebrates 25th anniversary

BRIDGTON — Get outside with Loon Echo Land Trust for a day of family fun at Five Fields Farm in South Bridgton. In celebration of its 25th anniversary, Loon Echo Land Trust will hold the first annual Snowfest on March 3 from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

This outdoor celebration will include a 5K cross county ski race held at 11 a.m., a kids’ 1K ski race at 11:30 a.m., a 3k snowshoe race at 12 p.m., and a snowshoe scavenger hunt held on adjacent Bald Pate Mountain at 1 p.m. Races are casual and suitable for all levels.

Between events warm up by the bonfire and enjoy hot chocolate and refreshments. Come for one or all of the events or simply enjoy the trails and preserve at your own pace. The nominal fee of $10 for adults and $5 for children will include trail passes, food and prizes. Please bring your own equipment; rentals are available on site if needed.

Snowfest is the first of several outdoor events on the preserves in celebration of Loon Echo’s 25th Anniversary. This event is a great opportunity to learn about Loon Echo’s mission of conserving land in the northern Sebago Lake region and to get community members active on the preserves.

Participants should meet at Five Fields Farm on Route 107 where all races will get underway. The course will follow the groomed trails that loop through both the apple orchard and the more challenging section of Bald Pate Mountain preserve.

Loon Echo Land Trust protects land in the northern Sebago Lake region of Maine. Its mission is to conserve the region’s natural resources and character for current and future generations. Currently, Loon Echo protects 3,785 acres of land, and Bald Pate Mountain is one of the land trust’s six preserves that are open to the public.

Other Loon Echo preserves include Pleasant Mountain Preserve in Bridgton and Denmark, Mayberry Hill Preserve in Casco, Pondicherry Park in Bridgton, Sylvan Woods in Harrison and Sebago Headwaters Preserve in Bridgton.

Find out more about Loon Echo, their events, or other land protection programs by visiting www.loonecholandtrust.org. For more information about Snowfest, contact Carol Meader at 749-9560 or trek@lelt.org.