Cranapalooza – It’s a Festival at Cranmore

NORTH CONWAY, NH - When the sun goes down in North Conway and the lights illuminate the trails of Cranmore Mountain, in Mount Washington Valley, NH, the festivities begin. Saturday nights from late December through mid-March (plus Wednesday nights during vacation periods: 12/31/08 and 2/18/09), guests will enjoy a variety of events throughout the resort in addition to top-to-bottom night skiing and tubing. Returning for its fifth season, Cranapalooza is a festival of music, entertainment and games with North Conway's favorite penguin, C-More.

Cranapalooza kicks off the season on December 27, 2008. As guests finish up a day of skiing and riding or arrive for the nighttime festivities, they can enjoy activities beginning at 2pm. Activities change weekly and include fireworks on select dates, games with C-More, magicians and puppets, fireworks, face painting, hypnotists, live entertainment, hot chocolate and s'mores around the fire pit and Après Ski with live music in Zip's Pub.

Kids of all ages love hanging out with C-more the Penguin at Cranapalooza.

Another popular activity coming back for this winter is the spectacular fireworks display set off over the slopes. Fireworks will light the skies at 7:30pm on the following dates: Dec. 31, Jan. 17, Feb. 14, Feb. 18, Feb. 21 and Mar. 7.

"Cranapalooza is an event packed with entertainment for all ages combined with the magic of the night," said General Manager Ben Wilcox. “Everyone loves fireworks – kids and adults alike. We find the whole town comes out to watch them – it’s a real festival feel to the entire evening when the fireworks are on display.”

New for this year is a New Year’s Eve edition of Cranapalooza. Called the Crantastic New Year’s Party, the event will feature skiing and riding and snow tubing until midnight. An all inclusive Crantastic Ticket includes a night skiing ticket, snow tubing ticket, rentals, party favors and lots of other fun stuff. Enjoy family entertainers and live music in the Eating House until midnight.

Cranapalooza lift tickets are just $25 from 2 - 9 p.m. for all ages. Night skiing is offered on 11 trails and 3 lifts for all ability levels, including the Darkside and Other Side Terrain Parks, Beginner Basin, South Slope, North Slope, Hurricane and more. Cranmore's top rated Arctic Blast Tubing Park is also open Saturday and holiday evenings until 9 p.m.

For more information about Cranapalooza, please call 1-800-SUN-N-SKI or visit www.cranmore.com.