DIDA gets a Sisu Ski Fest '22 report

By TOM LAVENTURE

tlaventure@yourdailyglobe.com

Ironwood — At this point in time, the Sisu Ski Fest is being planned as a traditional in-person event for the weekend of Jan. 7-9, 2022, according to race director Jackie Powers in a report to the Downtown Ironwood Development Authority on Thursday.

The Sisu committee is evolving and wants to be more inclusive to make the event as great as possible, she said. DIDA is important in providing input on everything from skier promotions to coordinating First Friday activities around the race.

“I guess the big change for this year is the new Finnish Line at our city square,” Powers said.

The race has concluded at the same location for years, but construction of the new Downtown City Square in 2020 creates a different scenario. The city square was prepared for the Sisu “Finnish” Line with reinforced concrete to withstand the weight of snow and heavy equipment, but event organizers will adjust fencing and determine how best to use the new amphitheater, vendor areas, outdoor fireplace and a possible ice rink, along with where to put spectators, photos areas and the DJ, announcer and official timer.

“We’re trying to iron out all of those logistical details while it’s summer and nice weather, so we’re not scrambling at the last minute in the snow to problem solve,” Powers said.

There was a Sisu downtown liaison at one time to coordinate festival related shopping activity and other forms of participation, she said. The festival scaled down functions but is now considering the downtown components again.

“The board asked me to come and meet with you guys just to see what you thought,” Powers said

The January First Friday coincides with race registration and the Depot Dash, she said. There could be a downtown liaison to coordinate a shopping promotion and some signage on the storefronts welcoming racers and spectators to Ironwood, she said.

“That’s just the simplest thing we could do to attract some attention,” Powers said. “I want to attract attention to downtown.”

The downtown businesses should benefit as much as possible from the skiers and visitors because the majority of them do come back throughout the ski season or at other times of the year, she said. The past two in-person Sisu events attracted 750 racers of which more than 600 are from out of town, in addition to area volunteers and non-skiing spectators who are all almost all downtown at some point in the weekend with some businesses reporting they bring in record sales, she said.

“It’s a high quality event and the community takes a lot of pride in it,” Powers said. “I think it’s a good thing for Ironwood and from all the different angles and all different aspects.”

Amy Nosal, DIDA chair, said the First Friday committee would be helpful in coordinating activities with Sisu. The committee would reach out for ideas and recommendations that include everything from ice sculptures and entertainment to coordinating shopping rebates for skiers.

This is very rare to have First Friday fall on the day before the Sisu race, said Tim Erickson, city community development specialist and First Friday committee member. “That opens it up to so many more possibilities,” he said.

The pandemic forecast was favorable for a traditional race when planning started in June, she said. The cross-country ski race transitioned to a virtual event in 2020 with skiers reporting scores from Ironwood trails or other locations after the COVID-19 pandemic did not allow for a one day race at one location.

“Whatever happens with COVID, I think we’re going to be able to carry that off,” Powers said.

The unknown variables with planning at this time are with indoor events and other activities where distancing could be an issue if pandemic rules change. This includes busing, changing areas, the registration, Expo and banquet at the Memorial building.

“So, my intention is to follow whatever the health department recommends by that time,” Powers said.

The Sisu committee will be prepared to transition quickly to having racers wear masks on the bus, or limiting how many people can be on a bus at a time, she said. It might mean having more buses available than usual, or encouraging other transportation to and from the ski areas.

“But hopefully, either we won’t have a big outbreak appear or we’ll be done with it by then,” Powers said.

“But being able to be outdoors at the starting line and have a race and be around the finish line, I’m assuming, is going to be a safe activity,” Powers said. “We won’t be switching to a virtual event at the last minute. So we are going to go forward.”

Nosal asked if the ski festival would require participants to provide vaccine cards or some other screening methods. Powers said that the topic would be on the September meeting agenda.

“I’m going to start that discussion but I’m not in favor of requiring vaccine cards, just because of what it would take to pull that off,” Powers said. “I’m in favor of whatever the health department says.”

It isn’t too much to ask skiers to wear a mask for the duration of a 20 minute bus ride, she said. If it means that much to someone there is always other transportation, she said.

This avoids having to have those difficult discussions during the race about whether someone is vaccinated or not and whether they need to comply with something that would be very difficult for the ski festival volunteers to enforce, she said.

“But yeah, we have to start that discussion,” Powers said. “Things like food service and the Expo, and how many people can be in the Memorial building auditorium — those kinds of questions are more open for debate and creativity.”

Powers said she is already discussing options with the food vendors. If it turns out it won’t be possible to offer the Memorial building as a venue for the pasty dinner then it could be a takeout meal.

“I want to stick with what Sisu is known for as much as possible,” Powers said.

The ski festival committee will need to be flexible going forward. There will need to be decisions on some things immediately, while some other decisions can be made closer to the festival date.

“I don’t want to take any sponsor money or racer money unless I feel like I can deliver what I’m saying I can deliver,” Powers said. “So I’m going to be as upfront as I can.”

The 2022 Sisu Ski Fest will launch on Oct. 1, 2021, she said. That is when the information and registration materials will be available on the Sisu website at sisuskifest.com.

Disclaimers and late announcements regarding the pandemic and the festival will be posted at that time and updated up until January. This way skiers will know where to look and to expect there might be changes depending on the pandemic guidelines.

“In our best case scenario we don’t have restrictions and we have the event as traditionally planned,” Powers said.

A traditional ski fest would include the expo and registration at the Memorial building and Depot Dash at the Historic Ironwood Depot on Friday, Jan. 7, which is also a First Friday for downtown Ironwood, she said. The ski races would be held the morning of Saturday, Jan. 8, followed by the after-party with music at the Historic Ironwood Theatre Saturday night. The fat bike event will be held Sunday, Jan. 9.

Keep in mind that skiers won’t have a lot of time before the race and tend to socialize afterwards to talk about their race, she said. This is the time that incentives to get people in the businesses work best for them.