Fun on the ice
“Toys R Back in Town” toboggan team brings Toy Story to life. Photo by Kay Stephens
Photo by Kay Stephens
Wig Girls Don’t Cry From Boston
“First time up here and no we haven’t gone down the chute yet. We’re really excited though. We’ve never been to anything like this before. The inspiration behind our costumes comes from whatever we could find in our closets. It’s kind of the 1980s with Halloween wigs.” Photo by Kay Stephens
Shear Madness
“Every year we switch up our costumes with a different look. This year it was all about the glitter.”
Photo by Kay Stephens
“Obviously we’re fans. Each of us had a tooth blacked out with mascara but it wore off.”
Photo by Kay Stephens
Easier Sled Than Done posing with an unusual sled plucked from “suburban detritus.”
Photo by Kay Stephens
A child’s slide made into a toboggan in the experimental category.
Photo by Kay Stephens
Tobogganville. Photo by Kay Stephens
Photo by Kay Stephens
Photo by Kay Stephens
Sea Dog Beer Tent. Photo by Kay Stephens
High school steel band rocked the crowds. Photo by Kay Stephens
Big Kahoona Edwin Greenrose displaying his Baby Bjorn flask. Photo by Kay Stephens
Door to the Kahoonas toboggan trailer. Photo by Kay Stephens
And...one more round of The Stupid Stick. Photo by Kay Stephens
Imagine if this were here all winter long. Photo by Kay Stephens
Photo by Kay Stephens
Like a set of golf clubs, choosing the best toboggan for the right race. Photo by Kay Stephens
The author with friends. Photo by Kay Stephens
Easily the tiniest toboggan at the US National Championships. Photo by Kay Stephens
No, not a child’s playhouse. A legitimate ice shack. Photo by Kay Stephens
The band on Hosmer Pond. Photo by Kay Stephens
Photo by Kay Stephens
Emmett Lalor. Photo by Kay Stephens
Noah Plotkin. Photo by Kay Stephens
Joel Watson. Photo by Kay Stephens
The frozen treeline made for a beautiful backdrop. Photo by Kay Stephens
A dancing crowd. Photo by Kay Stephens
Photo by Kay Stephens
Photo by Kay Stephens
“Toys R Back in Town” toboggan team brings Toy Story to life. Photo by Kay Stephens
Photo by Kay Stephens
Wig Girls Don’t Cry From Boston
“First time up here and no we haven’t gone down the chute yet. We’re really excited though. We’ve never been to anything like this before. The inspiration behind our costumes comes from whatever we could find in our closets. It’s kind of the 1980s with Halloween wigs.” Photo by Kay Stephens
Shear Madness
“Every year we switch up our costumes with a different look. This year it was all about the glitter.”
Photo by Kay Stephens
“Obviously we’re fans. Each of us had a tooth blacked out with mascara but it wore off.”
Photo by Kay Stephens
Easier Sled Than Done posing with an unusual sled plucked from “suburban detritus.”
Photo by Kay Stephens
A child’s slide made into a toboggan in the experimental category.
Photo by Kay Stephens
Tobogganville. Photo by Kay Stephens
Photo by Kay Stephens
Photo by Kay Stephens
Sea Dog Beer Tent. Photo by Kay Stephens
High school steel band rocked the crowds. Photo by Kay Stephens
Big Kahoona Edwin Greenrose displaying his Baby Bjorn flask. Photo by Kay Stephens
Door to the Kahoonas toboggan trailer. Photo by Kay Stephens
And...one more round of The Stupid Stick. Photo by Kay Stephens
Imagine if this were here all winter long. Photo by Kay Stephens
Photo by Kay Stephens
Like a set of golf clubs, choosing the best toboggan for the right race. Photo by Kay Stephens
The author with friends. Photo by Kay Stephens
Easily the tiniest toboggan at the US National Championships. Photo by Kay Stephens
No, not a child’s playhouse. A legitimate ice shack. Photo by Kay Stephens
The band on Hosmer Pond. Photo by Kay Stephens
Photo by Kay Stephens
Emmett Lalor. Photo by Kay Stephens
Noah Plotkin. Photo by Kay Stephens
Joel Watson. Photo by Kay Stephens
The frozen treeline made for a beautiful backdrop. Photo by Kay Stephens
A dancing crowd. Photo by Kay Stephens
Photo by Kay Stephens
Photo by Kay Stephens
CAMDEN—With low temperatures after a freezing ice storm the night before, the U.S. National Toboggan Championships officially kicked off Saturday, February 8 and the more seasoned costumed toboggan teams combined warmth with pageantry this year. (Note: wigs always add that extra level of insulation and you can’t go wrong with a full body costume that hides extra long john layers).
The chute was closed for on Friday due to the rainy/icy weather, but Saturday’s sunny, frigid temperatures brought out all of the teams, ice shacks, tailgate parties and spectators. Camden’s “Mardi Gras on Ice” was once again, underway.
With a maximum number of 400 toboggan teams, this year was sold out, which made for plenty of downtime on the ice, while hundreds waited in line with toboggans for their chance to race. Up top, five food vendors kept the crowds fed while The Sea Dog Brewing Company provided a warm Beer Tent with cold brews for people to socialize.
Tobogganville
What can we say about all the ice shanties, Eskimo Fishing Shelters, heated trailers and makeshift fire pits that dotted Hosmer Pond? It’s a locals’ hang out and always has been, but it’s a celebratory event where all spectators are welcome to come up, say hello, maybe even get a bite to eat and an adult beverage to share. Anyone in a ridiculous costume is that much more welcome.
Two bands livened up the scene with a high school steel drums band right in front of the infamous Big Kahoonas trailer (see embedded video). While the kids were banging the sticks in front, the teams were banging the Stupid Stick in back.
Reprising a tradition J.D. Orlando Construction Co. started 10 years ago, and co-sponsored by Meklin Excavation, a combination of well-known local musicians took a small stage by the boat landing to rock the Pond with a number of classic rock hits. Musicians Noah Plotkin and Jason Dean were on drums; Glenn Dubois on bass, and Emmett Lalor and Joel Watson played guitar. While their fingers were battling the frigid temps, they had the crowd warmed up by dancing.
Check out our gallery for more twice-as-ice photos of a spectacular day in Camden, Maine.
Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com
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