Gilson Snow, a Winfield, PA-based company that designs and builds snowboards and skis, recently hosted their 2022 Summer Snow Day festival, and it was awesome! The event is held annually at the facility grounds, affectionately known as the Snowboard Farm. The goal of the festival is to put together the area’s biggest and most fun, free event of the summer.
“This really does stem from back in the day,” said Nick Gilson, founder, and CEO of Gilson Snow, Inc. “We were going to this trade show that was sort of forcing us into the industry “box” and to act like everybody else when we were really trying to run by our own playbook. We said instead of going to this event, we would be better off if we just lit a pile of money on fire and got the time back. So, I talked to my team and said what would you guys rather do? We talked around the table for a little while, and we ultimately landed on this.
The community has been extraordinary. It has really taken us under its wing and supported us from the very early days. So we said, you know what, let’s get a bunch of free beer, and let’s get a bunch of free wine and spirits and just throw a party to celebrate this awesome community. Now it’s grown into one of the biggest festivals in the state.”
Think part Beerfest (yes, there was FREE beer and spirits all day…or so I heard), part concert, and part sports festival. Food trucks were present to feed the hungry masses, and there was a Kids Zone that was sponsored by Knoebel’s that included games, bounce houses, slides, and a play area. Well-behaved, leashed dogs, were also welcomed at the event, with doggie water stations provided throughout the grounds, and there was live music all day. Musical acts included Van Wagner, The Roof, Allen Combs II, and the Pecan Sandies. Guided tours of the snowboard and ski shop and an in-depth look at how snowboards and skis come to life were also available and were given personally by the owners and founders of the company.
Athletic events were the Rail Jam and the Snow Beast Challenge. The Rail Jam included actual snow and had skiers and snowboarders competing on “Iron Mountain” doing tricks and runs for over $2000 in cash and prizes. Winners of the ski competition were Eliot DeLeo (1st), Michael Wellspeak (2nd), and Shane Earhart (3rd). Winners of the snowboard competition were Jake Fichiera (1st), Ty (no last name like a rockstar), and Mathew Rabchuk (3rd).
The athletic portion of this event wasn’t just for snow sports fans. Competitors could also sign up for the Unbeetable Snow Beast Challenge 2022, which consisted of 4 events: Keg Toss, Caber Toss, Hammer Toss, and the 25 lb. Beet Hold for time. “The contest is designed to include elements of strength and skill,” said Cole Fungaroli, Snow Beast competition director. “Competitors earn points for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places. At the end of the competition, the male and female competitors with the most points are crowned with the title of Unbeetable Snow Beast 2022. The winners will receive prize packages (including custom skis or snowboards) valued at over $500 each.” The Beet Hold for time was sponsored by Shannon Force of Unbeetable Burgers, which makes vegan burgers and vegan food out of mostly red beets. The company also has a sister restaurant, the PB&J Bar, which is in Danville, Pa. Be sure to check out all of their great vegan food if you are in the area.
Overall winners of the Snow Beast Challenge in the men’s division were Craig Ziccardie (1st), Patrick Woodling (2nd), and Ron Zugarek (3rd). Overall winners of the women’s division were Jactoya Troutman (1st), Gabrielle Bellomo (2nd), and Beverly Walker (3rd).
“I won the men’s division, but I certainly wasn’t the biggest guy in the competition,” said Ziccardi. “I saw this event on Facebook. It was just something that I was scrolling through. I got my buddies, and they said they wanted to come up here and hang out. It was last minute. I mean this place is amazing. Anybody that’s thinking about coming next year should definitely come and check it out. I will be back every year. I drove two hours to get here; we’ll be here again next year.”
“This is my first time here, so I really didn’t know what to expect with the challenges or with the event in general,” said women’s overall Snow Beast winner, Jactoya Troutman. “I thought it was amazing and very well run. The competition included a lot of fun but challenging events. I definitely had some good competition, but we all had a good time, and the competitors were very friendly. It was like we knew each other for a long time, and everybody was rooting for each other. That’s the type of competition I enjoy. I would also just say thanks to everyone that put this event on for the community. I will definitely be back. Everybody seemed to have an amazing time.”
“The Summer Snow Day definitely has a festival vibe,” said Gilson. “It’s definitely a family-friendly event and feels like a big block party. Thousands of people come out. Kids, adults — the age range is amazing. Four-legged friends obviously are welcome and really this is just a great way to get everyone together in the community. It turned into just a beautiful day and was eighty degrees. We couldn’t have gotten luckier with the weather. It’s about bringing people together no matter how young or old, different backgrounds, whatever — we’ve all gotten together to celebrate and have a good time. So, that’s really what it’s about in essence.”
Emily and Nick Gorski provided the seating and furniture for the VIP tent to raise awareness for their great not-for-profit, Dig Furniture Bank. “We collect gently used furniture and household items from the community and provide it to people who are moving into housing after things like homelessness, incarceration, and domestic violence. Often we can furnish whole entire homes for free for people who need it. We serve Union, Schneider, and Northumberland Counties,” said Emily Gorski.
Andrew Miller, Executive Director of the Susquehanna River Valley Visitors Bureau (SRVVB), was also on hand for comment. The SRVVB is the official destination marketing organization for Snyder, Union, and Northumberland Counties. “From the very beginning that they had the first Summer Snow Day, we knew we were lucky that Gilson, which is one of the fastest growing companies of recreation and outdoor equipment, has their business in our own backyard. It was huge. So, when they decided to have a Snow Day to thank everybody in the community that supported them, we knew we wanted to be part of that. And the fact that they use Pennsylvania trees and are sustainable is great. They could have gone anywhere like Boulder or Denver. We knew we wanted to partner with them, and because of their fan base and their brand, they were bringing people in from all over the Mid-Atlantic. We knew this would be a great opportunity to showcase the region. We’ve been involved from the beginning, and this year we expanded our sponsorship. It’s been a great day with great people, and they are great neighbors.”
“This event would not have been possible without the support from our community,” said Vanessa Venios, event manager for Gilson Snow. “There’s been a tremendous amount of support from our sponsors and from local businesses that have come through for us. They know whether it’s donating product or in helping fund new initiatives; it goes a long way. We really appreciate it. I would also like to highlight the Susquehanna Valley Visitors Bureau, which has been a sponsor since the very beginning of this event. We also have Keystone Wood Products Association and the Pennsylvania Hardwoods Development Council. Knoebel’s sponsored the KidZone, and Unbeetable Burgers sponsored the Snow Beast Challenge. Other sponsors include Seven Mountains Media which is Hannah Radio, and Bigfoot Country. There is also Dig Furniture Bank, an in-kind sponsor that helped us with seating and furniture today.” For more information about Gilson Snow and the Summer Snow Day, check out gilsonsnow.com or find them on Facebook.
