Fernie ski season to kick off with film festival, ski swap

The Fernie Ski and Board Film Fest is coming this weekend on the heels of the FAST Ski Swap.

The film festival, which is a fundraiser for the Elk Valley’s volunteer Canadian Ski Patrol, will be taking place on Nov. 13 at the Fernie Community Centre from 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.

It will feature three movies, such as The Stomping Grounds from Matchstick Productions, Tales From Cascadia from Blank Collective and Roots from Faction Red Bull.

READ MORE: Fernie Ski & Board Film Festival stokes adventure

Ted Van Rhijn, the Rocky Mountain Zone president for the volunteer Canadian Ski Patrol, said it’s their major community fundraiser event of the year. Funds raised go towards new equipment for patrolling, such as jackets, first aid gear, training equipment and COVID-19 personal protective equipment. They will also help to fund training and patrol kits.

Volunteer ski patrollers help to maintain runs by doing early morning run checks on lower mountains, making sure signage is up, that grooming hasn’t created hazards, marking hazards they find, assisting with the opening and closing of avalanche closure areas, keeping the public out of those areas, and responding to medical calls.

“We help out with anything from a broken finger to a major event,” Van Rhijn said.

“It’s a great way to spend the day on the mountain and meet everybody on the mountain.”

They have about 22 patrollers in Fernie and 14 in Kicking Horse, he said.

The show will be at 50 per cent capacity and will not be serving alcohol. Attendees will be required to show proof of vaccination before entering.

Everyone who attends will receive a 2-for-1 lift ticket voucher from the Fernie Alpine Resort. There will also be door prizes and food for sale from Bridge Bistro. Prizes include cat skiing, lift tickets, skis, and more.

Tickers are selling on Eventbrite.com. They cost $30 for adults and $20 for kids under 16.

“We’re just hoping to see some community involvement, and come out and enjoy some movies, and welcome everybody back after missing everybody last year,” Van Rhijn said.

On Friday and earlier in the day on Saturday, the Fernie Community Centre will also be hosting the Fernie Alpine Ski Team (FAST) Ski Swap.

From 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov. 12, people will be able to bring their unwanted gear, which will be on sale the next day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The gear sale is also meant as a fundraiser, with 20 per cent of all transactions going towards FAST.

“It goes to gear to operate,” said Rod Timm, program director for the team.

Due to COVID-19 limitations, people will drop their gear off to volunteers who will be working outside in front of the community centre. The Saturday morning sale will allow people inside to browse, but will be at 50 per cent capacity.

“It’s a great event. It’s happened for years, and last year was the only year we couldn’t do it, because of COVID, so we should be heading back in the right direction.”

READ MORE: Ski swap kicks off ski season in the Elk Valley