The 90-year brand is sponsoring ski and fat tire bike competitions, and more in Brillion
Jan. 17, 2024 – Brillion, Wis. – Ariens®, AriensCo’s outdoor power equipment brand, is bringing a new winter festival to Ariens Nordic Center on Saturday, Jan. 20, and Sunday, Jan. 21. The Ariens King of Snow® Festival will welcome all ages to northeast Wisconsin for a flurry of family fun, entertainment, competition, and experiences that only winter can provide. The event’s namesake is inspired by the longstanding legacy of the Ariens Sno-Thro®, the world’s top-selling brand of two-stage snowblower.
“We’ve been big on snow since the first Ariens Sno-Thro was built in 1960, and Ariens Nordic Center is our way to continue celebrating our snow passion,” said AriensCo Chairman and CEO Dan Ariens. “The Ariens King of Snow Festival is for skiers and non-skiers to enjoy a fun, snow-filled weekend with family and friends. Come celebrate winter with us! It has everything for those who love winter life and getting together under the sun and the stars – we’ll have both this weekend.”
The Festival features:
- Open skiing and fat tire biking on Ariens Nordic Center’s groomed trails, with ski rental available during open ski hours.
- A tented Biergarten with ice bar will have food and beverages for purchase throughout the event’s duration.
- Bonfires and private igloo rentals
- Live music by country folk singer songwriter Michael Grabner
- Apparel vendors inside Round Lake Farms adjacent to Ariens Nordic Center, and inside the trailhead building.
- Fireworks show sponsored by Wipfli will light up the sky on Saturday night.
- Family-friendly Green Bay Packers viewing party inside Round Lake Farms. Food and beverage service will continue beyond the 7:15 p.m. kickoff when the team takes on the San Francisco 49ers in the highly-anticipated NFC Divisional matchup.
- Ariens dealers Brillion Power Equipment and Kimp’s Ace Hardware in Green Bay will also supply equipment for a King of Snow product display through the weekend. The exhibit will showcase the brand’s latest Sno-Thro models and offer product literature for curious buyers looking for the best snow-clearing solutions for their homes and businesses.
The weekend also brings the first-ever Fat Bike race to Ariens Nordic Center and several cross-country ski races.
- Competitions start on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. with the U.S. Fat Bike Open – Brillion, sanctioned by the Snow Crown Fat Bike Series. This series of races welcomes competitors of various classes to duke it out across Ariens Nordic Center’s trail system. Awards will follow racing at 4:30 p.m.
- Cross-country ski races will crown a King, Queen, Prince, and Princess of Snow. Top male and female finishers of Sunday’s 10K freestyle ski race for adults and experienced youth will become the King and Queen of Snow, and winners of the Kids 1K freestyle will be dignified as the Prince and Princess of Snow. Competitors can also enter in a 5K freestyle race. The 10K and 5K races start at 10:00 a.m., and the Kids 1K race will be at 11:00. The new royalty will be coronated on the ice throne at 11:30.
- Top male and female finishers in the 10K Freestyle ski race and the fat bike Elite Category race will win an Ariens 90th Anniversary Limited Edition Sno-Thro. Built on the Platinum-series platform, this model merges the King of Snow’s original paint scheme with today’s innovations for style and epic snow-clearing performance. The 90th has a 24-inch clearing width, retains Ariens trademark all-steel construction for durability, is powered by a 369cc TecumsehPower® SnowKing® engine, and features heated hand grips for comfort, Auto-Turn™ steering for easy maneuvering, and a super-high-output (SHO) impeller that throws snow up to 55 feet.
“This model pays homage to the history of the iconic Sno-Thro,” said Ariens. “Like all two-stage Ariens Sno-Thro models, it’s built in Brillion, but we only made 1,933 units as a nod to the birthyear of our brand. Bragging rights are good, but putting such a great prize on the line should motivate some exciting competition.”
Registration for the fat tire bike race closes on Friday, Jan. 19, at 11:59 p.m., and registration for the 10K, 5K, and 1K freestyle ski races closes on Saturday, Jan. 20, at 11:59 p.m. All times Central.
To learn more about the Ariens King of Snow Festival, see the complete event schedule, reserve an igloo with food and beverage package, or to register for the 10K, 5K, or 1K freestyle ski races or a fat tire bike race, visit ariensnordic.com/calendar/ariens-king-of-snow-festival.
About Ariens®
Ariens® is the original brand of AriensCo, headquartered in Brillion, Wisconsin. Established in 1933, AriensCo is a privately-owned global manufacturer of outdoor power equipment and provides service and product support from its RapidCare™ division. Ariens is the King of Snow®, a title earned for its full line of Sno-Thros® with more than 4 million snow blowers produced since 1960. Ariens is the top-selling brand of two-stage snow blowers in the world. Our machines are passed down from one generation to the next. The brand also features a full line of residential zero-turn lawn mowers available at major dealers nationally. Designed and manufactured in the United States, Ariens delivers best-in-class quality and performance because only Ariens commits the personal, organizational, and manufacturing resources to ensure everything that leaves the factory floor is worthy of bearing the Ariens name. For more information, visit Ariens.com.
About Ariens Nordic Center
Ariens Nordic Center is located on 200 acres at the outskirts of Brillion, Wisconsin. The center is a year-round trail network for recreation, training, and competition for cross-country skiing, biathlon, roller-skiing, running, hiking, and more. The facility is open to the public and includes a 5k lighted trail network for cross-country skiing designed by Morton Trails, 20-point Kurvinen Biathlon Target System, a robust snowmaking system, 3k paved roller-ski loop for off-season training, and a 10-million-gallon pond for snowmaking purposes. Visit AriensNordic.com for more information.
About Round Lake Farms
Nestled on 190 acres of Wisconsin countryside, Round Lake Farms is an event venue that overlooks quaint Round Lake with beautiful views of rolling hills and stunning sunsets. The 12,000-square-foot space features grand fireplaces, a cocktail reception space, a full-service bar, a wine tasting room including a wine cellar in a historic barn silo, an executive meeting room and a large pier to accommodate wedding receptions and business meetings. Visit AriensNordic.com/hospitality for more information.
About AriensCo
Based in Brillion, Wisconsin, AriensCo is a privately-owned manufacturer of outdoor power equipment for both consumer and commercial markets. Established in 1933, the company manufactures equipment under the Ariens®, Gravely®, and AS-Motor® brand names. Its RapidCare® division provides service and support to dealers with parts, a call center and trained field service technicians. It started Henry’s Parts & Equipment in 2023, a will-fit aftermarket parts business. AriensCo Hospitality began in 2020 with two luxury event venues, Stone Prairie and Round Lake Farms. It opened Ariens Nordic Center December 2022. These venues are part of the mission to create reasons to visit the Brillion community. Find us on the web: ariensco.com.
