The Swift Diamond Riders Snowmobile Club’s NH SnoDeo is back for its 26th year, ready for another weekend of celebrating and promoting snowmobiling in northern New Hampshire.
This is the SnoDeo’s second year in its new location behind the Swift Diamond Riders’ warming hut on Diamond Pond Rd. in Stewartstown. In 2017, SnoDeo organizers battled wild temperature swings, challenging them to lay out the new site as planned, they’re hoping for more consistent temperatures and snow cover. Kurt Muhlfelder, President of South End Media, promoter for the SnoDeo said, “We went from five feet of snow on the site in mid-February, to mud and near 60-degree temperatures two days before set-up. We were actually fortunate to get a flash freeze on set-up day.” Describing the conditions that challenged organizers he continued, “Unfortunately temperatures kept dropping to what we believe became the second coldest SnoDeo ever. It made it very difficult to make things work the way we hoped.”
Arctic Cat and Ski-Doo return with the some of the largest fleets of snowmobiles they’ve ever brought for test rides. The SnoDeo is known as the first place in the Northeast where snowmobilers can test ride the next model year snowmobiles. There will be several models, enthusiasts have been looking forward to riding at the show this year.
Polaris and Yamaha will not be participating this year. The annual Polaris dealer convention falls on the same weekend and Yamaha said they were “repositioning regional assets.” Neither company was able to support a local dealer providing test rides.
One of the big successes last year was converting the warming hut’s groomer garage into a gathering place with vendors and an eating area. This year it’ll be known as the “BoltDepot.com Trailside.” New sponsor Bolt Depot bought the naming rights for the Trailside earlier this winter.
North Country Ford returns to sponsor the “North Country Ford Vintage Tent,” where SnoDeo visitors can see the history of snowmobiling, as well as vote on their favorite machines.
Log Haven in Millsfield, NH and New Hampshire Distributors will host the second annual “Braaps & Brews” beer tasting event to help raise additional funds for the Swift Diamond Riders Club and SnoDeo. “Braaps & Brews” will feature Newburyport Brewing Company from Newburyport, Ma. and Stoneface Brewing Company out of Newington, NH. The tasting will be from 3:00 - 5:00 PM on March 3rd. The Swift Diamond Riders, organizer South End Media and the event’s hosts are promising a fun and responsible event that can become a SnoDeo tradition.
The Swift Diamond Riders Club is a snowmobile club based in West Stewartstown, NH. The SnoDeo benefits the club for trail maintenance, as well as other club activities that promote snowmobiling in New Hampshire’s North Country. To learn more about the event and the club, visit nhsnodeo.com, on Facebook, on Twitter or on Instagram.