Frolicking Fun

Fun, family- (and dog-) friendly festivities will highlight the fifth annual Sunriver Chill Out, happening Friday and Saturday, Feb. 3 and 4. A unique collaboration between the Village at Sunriver, Alpine Entertainment, the Sunriver Nature Center and the Sunriver Owners Association, Chill Out came about as the result of a brainstorming session between the staff of all four organizations.

“We wanted to work collaboratively to make a fun weekend in Sunriver over a non-holiday period,” said Shawn Cannon of the Sunriver Owners Association. “We were hoping to draw people from Central Oregon, but also vacationers looking for a value weekend packed with fun activities.”

And packed it is, kicking off with a Friday Night Glo-Skate at the Sunriver Ice Rink 6 to 9 p.m. Open to all ages, the skate party features a live DJ and fun games — in the dark. Admission is $14 for adults, $10 for youth and includes skates and glow items.

“Basically it is a throwback to the old roller rink idea,” said Ryan Smith, events and marketing director for the Village at Sunriver, hosts of the glow skate. “We supply glow items, but dressing up and bringing your own glow stuff is encouraged. People really have a great time.”

On Saturday from noon to 3 p.m. plan on bringing the whole family — including the family dog — out to the Sunriver Brewing Co. K9 Keg Pull, a lighthearted competition for canines held in the Village at Sunriver. Dogs are provided with safe harnesses and empty kegs (the size of the dog determines the size of the keg) and they race down a 150-foot snowy track. Prizes are awarded in multiple weight classes, and all dog and owner entries receive gifts for participating.

“Even if you don’t have a dog, this is an amazing spectator event,” said Smith. “Very few dogs run great times and I would say maybe half make it to the finish line. That is actually the best part, some dogs get stage fright and don’t move while others ham it up with the crowd and pose for pictures while their owners try to get them down the track.”

Some participants have gotten clever in finding ways to get their dogs to the finish line in hopes of winning a prize, using treats or squeaky toys to urge their dogs along. Others run alongside the dog, or place family members at the finish line to encourage the dog to run toward them.

“We had one owner throw a tennis ball toward the finish line,” said Smith. “That dog was on record pace until he stopped for the ball that had landed five feet short of the finish line. He missed out on a sure medal.”

The event is fast-paced, with dogs of all sizes running the course every two to three minutes. Thirty dogs participated the first year, 60 entered last year, and this year Smith expects around 100 dogs to compete. The entry fee is $10 per dog, and the event benefits the American Cancer Society Bark for Life, which honors pets as caregivers of cancer patients as well as pets with cancer. Online registration for the event begins on Dec. 1 at www.villageatsunriver.com. The event is expected to sell out and early registration is recommended.

Saturday night will feature Blacklight Tubing from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Sharc Tubing Hill, including nighttime blacklight and glow runs, laser lights, music and more. Cost is $12 for SROA members with ID and $15 for the public; admission includes tube and unlimited runs. Reservations are required and space is limited. Call 541-585-3147 for more information.

The biggest challenge for the Chill Out event is of course, snow.

“In one year we had a huge storm the night before and day of Chill Out,” said Smith. “We had over 18 inches in 36 hours, and it was difficult to manage. We have proven we can have a great event in all weather elements.”

To learn more about Chill Out and view the calendar for the event, visit villageatsunriver.com or sunriversharc.com/calendar.