You could say that the Idaho Snowmobile Show has caught its second wind.
Moving the snowmobile show to later in the fall had a lot to do with that, of course, but no matter how you look at it, the Idaho Snowmobile Show was the biggest ever last fall. In fact, show attendance increased 22 percent last November compared to the show a year earlier when it was held in September.
All that means is we expect even bigger and better things at this year's Idaho Snowmobile Show, scheduled for Nov. 18-19 at Expo Idaho in Boise.
Sponsored by SnoWest Magazine and the Idaho Snowmobile Association, the snow show will have a couple of new twists this year, along with all the things you've come to expect at Idaho's only snowmobile show.
Hours for the show are 3-8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 18 and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 19. General admission at the door is $7 but if you buy your tickets in advance it's only $5.50. Go to www.intermountainshow.com for more information on how to get your tickets in advance. Children 12 and under are free.
Arctic Cat, Polaris and Ski-Doo will all be at the show, with all their 2012 sleds on display. Then there are all the aftermarket parts-both new and old-that you'll find to accessorize your machine. Numerous clothing, accessories and other snowmobile-related companies will be at the show as well, along with resorts and riding locations that will help you plan your next snowmobile trip. Several snowmobile trailer manufacturers will have trailers on display, allowing you to see the trailers in person and walk around and in them.
Western Power Sports, along with Ultimax, will once again be sponsoring the Mod Show, where sledders can show off their snowmobiles for showgoers to vote on. The winners get hundreds of dollars of prizes from WPS and Ultimax. Here's one of those twists we were talking about. This year's Mod Show will have two divisions, Professional and Amateur.
If you didn't make it to Thief River Falls, MN, for Arctic Cat's 50th Anniversary celebration at the end of July, don't worry. The party will continue as Cat celebrates its 50th Anniversary at the snow show.
Cat will be showing the 50th Anniversary DVD in its booth and what a trip back through time. You'll most likely recognize many of the commentators and racers as they share their passion for Arctic Cat.
Cat is also inviting Arctic Cat fans to join it for lunch at each of the SnoWest snowmobile shows. You can stop by the Arctic Cat booth wearing your Arctic Cat "colors" to receive your ticket for lunch, which is sponsored by Arctic Cat. Lunch will be served at 11:30 a.m.
Of course, there will once again be seminars on everything from avalanche preparedness to performance mods to tips to improve your riding skills. Our seminar presenters this year include Bret Rasmussen, Amber Holt, the Idaho Department of Parks & Recreation and Starting Line Products.
You'll also be able to design your own Klim hat. What does that mean? You have to show up at the snow show to find out.
The swap meet will be held outside once again, but only on Saturday. Inside the SnoWest project sled build will be going on and you can keep tabs on the progress as several people work on the sled to make it one of the lightest, most powerful machines on snow.
Check out all the new videos at the 509 Video Viewing area, which can be found in the South Hall of the show.
Be sure to stop by the SnoWest booth, which is inside the main doors this year, to get entered into our latest contest, the 12 Days of SnoWest. This prize package is the biggest we've ever put together and you'll want to make sure you have a shot at the many different prizes we're giving away.
Stay tuned to www.intermountainshow.com for continued updates.