February marks the middle of winter for the people of Routt County, and for over a century it’s been the reason behind the biggest community celebrations of the year. The Winter Carnival staged by the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club is a fast favorite for most locals and this month marked the 110th year for the event.

Connecting the Community

“It’s always been a time for the community to come together,” said Jace Romick, a longtime local who grew up in the Yampa Valley. During the long winters, ranchers and townsfolk looked for ways to break up the monotony of daily life in harsh conditions, and the idea of a competitive sporting contest evolved. “It’s still a great way for us all to come together, and that’s what makes it so special year after year,” he continued.

Carnival Inspires Local Artists

Romick, a photographer and owner of the Jace Romick, R-Diamond Gallery in downtown Steamboat, chose the carnival as the centerpiece for a month-long exhibit, which opened earlier in February. A handpicked selection of his own images is interspersed with historical photographs sourced through the Tread of Pioneers Museum.

A giant snowflake created out of previous carnival entry buttons stands next to the winning artwork for this year’s button created by Davis Brosterhous, a student at Steamboat Mountain School.

Fun Traditional Events

Events range from a creative snow sculpture contest, to kids being pulled by horses down Lincoln Avenue on skis to clear a jump. There is ski jumping at Howelsen Hill, the Diamond Hitch Parade with the high school marching band on skis, and a nighttime extravaganza.

Carnival Poster A Great Memento

Like many great special events, participants and spectators want a memento, and the carnival poster has become a sought-after keepsake. This year’s poster artist Joanne Orce is a relative newcomer to the valley, hails originally from Australia. Orce studied illustration at the Pratt Institute in Manhattan and chose to depict a ski jumper as her focus for the artwork.

About The Artist

A mother of three, Orce is a swim and fitness instructor, with over 150 triathlons and seven Ironmans under her belt. For the poster, she polled the local swim team for inspiration and chose the Soda Pop Slalom – a dual race for elementary-age participants, as the backdrop for her painting.

In an interview about the piece, Orce said she was “grateful to be able to give back to the Winter Sports Club and put my heart and soul into the piece.” Neck buffs made with Orce’s design, along with Brosterhous’s buttons sold out before the event – a testament to the popularity of the community’s favorite gathering.