Start your engines: Sault prepares for the 1-500's return
SAULT STE. MARIE — The coldest and snowiest part of the year is approaching, and Sault Ste. Marie is preparing for the biggest snowmobile race in the world.
Starting next week, the city will be hosting a series of events connected to the International 500 snowmobile race. The I-500 is one of the largest winter sporting events in the state and the largest tourist event in the area, drawing crowds of thousands each year.
Starting Sunday, Jan. 29, the I-500 race track will be open to visitors and hosting a series of smaller events. In addition to activities at the track, Kewadin Casino and the Downtown Development Authority are also taking part in hosting events related to the big race.
The very first people that will get the chance to use the track this year are the youngest fans, because Sunday is the beginning of the kids races. Starting Sunday, Jan. 29, different age groups will get their chance to compete in races.
The track will be in use every day Monday through Thursday the following week. The track will be hosting at least four races a day until the track begins its final preparations on Friday.
On Feb. 2, downtown Sault Ste. Marie will begin its annual pub crawl. Ten bars are participating in the crawl this year.
Starting at the Wicked Sister at 9 p.m., the crawl is expected to last for several hours and will take participants from one end of downtown to the other, hitting every major bar along the way. There will also be t-shirts sold before and during the event at Wicked Sister and Austin's Cigar Lounge. They can also be purchased by contacting the DDA directly.
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On Friday, Feb. 3, visitors and residents will be able to see an antique snowmobile show from 2-6 p.m. at the farmers market pavilion on the downtown corner of Portage and Ashmun streets. The antique snowmobile show will feature dozens of old snowmobiles and sleds.
The show is being put on with the help of Top of the Lake Snowmobile Museum located in Naubinway. The museum features more than 100 unique and prototype sleds and snowmobiles that showcase the history of the development of the snowmobile.
At 7 p.m. on Friday, the 11th Miss I-500 pageant will take place at the Dream Makers theater in the Kewadin Casino.
Contestants will compete in a fashion show with a costume that represents their own personality and an on-stage interview. In the final pageant event, constants will model floor length gowns that pair together with the themes of winter and the themes of the race.
In addition to the judges' choice, the audience will also get to vote on their favorites by paying $1 per vote to choose who will win the title of Audience Choice.
On Saturday, Feb. 4 at the I-500 track, the main event begins at 8 a.m. when fans can enter the stadium. Opening ceremonies begin at 8:45 a.m. and at 10 a.m., the checkered flag drops and the race begins. The race will continue until each team of snowmobilers has traveled 500 miles around the track.
After the race is over and a winner is announced, an awards banquet will take place in Kewadin Casino.
A complete list of races and events at the I-500 track can be found on the I-500 website.
— Contact Brendan Wiesner: BWiesner@Sooeveningnews.com
This article originally appeared on The Sault News: Start your engines: Sault prepares for the 1-500's return
