Though the season’s dismal snowfall hasn’t been welcoming to organizers of the 2008 Winterfest, the Wallowa County Gamblers Snowmobile Club is still giving its all to put on two fun-filled weeks.

Most of the first weekend’s events will proceed as scheduled. They include the snow sculpture contest, Loomix tub races, the poker run, an all-you-can-eat crab feed, live music and more. Only the professional freestyle competition, scheduled for the night of Jan. 18, has been cancelled. However, the prospects of the second weekend’s pro snow-cross races, set for Jan. 26-27, are in doubt.

“Right now, if it had to happen (today), it’s not going to happen,” club president Gary Bethscheider said Jan. 11.

The fourth annual Winterfest opens Jan. 16-19 in Joseph with the sculpture contest. The club hopes children and schools participate. A barbeque will be held the second day. Judges will determine the top three sculptures on the last day of the contest and announce them later at the crab feed. Entry forms are available at the Stubborn Mule Saloon & Steakhouse in Joseph, or at www.snowmobilewallowacounty.com.

Tub racers will blaze down Main Street Jan. 18. The Loomix tubs, supplied by the Animal Health Center in Island City, slide along snow really well, Bethscheider proclaimed. Teams of four (two boys, two girls) pick one member to eat a foot-long hot dog in the tub while the other three push. The only rules: the hot dog must be completely consumed before the team crosses the finish line and, as they cross, all team members must be touching the tub. Prizes include cash and crab-feed tickets. Teams pay $25 to compete; registration forms are available at the Stubborn Mule Saloon.

Winterfest opens Jan. 19 with an all-you-can-eat breakfast starting at 7 a.m. in the Thunder Room of the Harley Tucker Memorial Arena. For $8, festival attendees can have all the hotcakes, sausage, eggs, biscuits, gravy, coffee and juice they want.

Afterwards, around 9 a.m., contestants for the 35-mile poker run sign up and draw their first cards. Anyone with a snowmobile is welcome to take a shot at the $2,200 purse. Beginning at Sno-Park at Salt Creek Summit, they will travel across snowmobile trails, stopping at six stations to draw cards. Hands must be turned in by 6 p.m.

Before the doors close on poker-run contestants, the crab feed will begin at 4 p.m. in the Thunder Room. Fresh King Crab legs, coleslaw, baked beans, bread, beer (for adults only, of course) and more will be served. Meanwhile, the auctions and raffles will be held, and the sculpture contest and poker-run winners will be announced. Starting at 9 p.m. the band X-Factor plays rock and roll for a dance that continues until 2 a.m. Tickets to the crab feed cost $34 in advance or $38 at the door.

The following weekend, snow cross races are set, though the lack of snow puts them in jeopardy. They will go from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. The Jan. 26 schedule is loaded with a breakfast, chili cook-off and dance.

For more information, contact Bethscheider or Nicole Payton at 432-6853.