The Saskatchewan Snowmobile Association 2018 Provincial Snowmobile Festival is a good gateway to the Kelvington area, says Bart Hartl, president of the Kelvington Trailblazers.

“To us as a club, it is bringing outside people into our community that have never been there and have never had a chance to ride on our trail system or see what our community has to offer.

“As a club, it is a very good way of showcasing our community, what we have to offer to the snowmobiling community and what kind of good hosts our community is to our club.”

The event kicks off Friday with registration and entertainment and continues Saturday with breakfast, a day of riding and an awards banquet. Buses will give people a safe ride from the event to accommodations in the area.

The snowmobile industry is important to the Kelvington area and northern Saskatchewan, Hartl said. Small communities depend on tourism though fishing, hiking and hunting in the summer, but there’s not much traffic in winter other than ice fishing, and many of those lakes are only accessible by snowmobile, Hartl said.

“The snowmobile trail system opens it up, so it keeps a lot of those businesses open year-round having the snowmobile industry as part of our communities.”

Going for a ride is a physically challenging workout, but you don’t need to be in great shape to do it, Hartl said. Studies show that between the physical activity and seeing the sunshine, it makes people happier, he said.

As for his favourite place to go?

“I enjoy riding anywhere the trail leads.”