STANLEY, Idaho — The 17th Stanley Winterfest kicks off this Friday with live music and then a whole day of activities on Saturday, including the infamous outhouse races.
Locals originally started this festival to bring the community together, but it has grown into a huge event for Stanley economically. The event also raises funds for local non-profits like the volunteer fire department, the school, and other services.
Check out the video to see more of what Winterfest is all about
"It is a really unique [event], and it is one of a kind," said Russell Clark, who helps organize Winterfest. He also operates the Mountain Village. "This event is the largest event for the winter season; the businesses really rely on this weekend for revenue."
The marquee event is the outhouse races, and they are a sight to see. Every year, people custom make an outhouse on skis, and they hold races in downtown Stanley that are chock full of carnage and entertainment.
"When we first started the outhouse races, they were pretty simple, including just a standard outhouse that was attached to some skis," said Clark. "Now people really up the ante, and they have really gotten creative in the past four years."
Other activities on Saturday include the brand new human ice tug and favorites like the adult big wheel race, winter rafting on snow, and a pizza eating contest.
People should also know the motto of the festival is "let's get weird," and one of the events includes a drag queen race.
"Our motto is 'let’s get weird,' and some people might take offense to that, but overall it is come and explore your inner self and have a little bit of fun," said Clark. "My favorite part is watching everyone smile, and there is a lot of laughter."
Lodging can be tricky for this event as all the rooms get booked months in advance, but you might have some luck with cancellations. People can also stay in Sun Valley or make a day trip out of it.
Click here for the event schedule.
This week, crews are working to bring snow to downtown as Stanley hasn't received as much snow as they normally have. However, there was a lot of snow near Galena Summit and also at Banner Creek Summit on Highway 21.
