WATERVILLE — A winter carnival scheduled for Saturday at Quarry Road Recreation Area has been canceled due to an inadequate amount of snow, organizers said Wednesday.
“The conditions are not what we expect for Feb. 4,” Parks & Recreation Director Matt Skehan said. “We aren’t canceling for lack of support. A lot of volunteers were willing to do everything to make sure it was as big and successful as last year.”
The event, which would have included cross-country skiing and racing, snowshoe races, laser biathlon demonstration, sledding and a bonfire, will not be rescheduled for this winter but will return the first Saturday in February, 2013, Skehan said.
 He and Caroline Mathes and Ellen Wells, both members of the Board of Directors for Friends of Quarry Road, said the recreation area is still open and has snow and trails that are being groomed, but they determined it would not be appropriate to bring beginner skiers there for a festival.
Mathes, of Central Maine Ski Club, said a middle school junior ski league race scheduled for Saturday at Quarry Road will go on as planned. It starts at 11 a.m.
She and Wells said some events in other areas will be held this weekend, including a women’s ski instruction program Sunday at Titcomb Mountain in Farmington. Registration for that event, which is hosted by the Farmington Ski Club, starts at 12:30 p.m.
The Ice Fishing Derby & Winter Carnival will be held all day Saturday at Lake George Regional Park, located in both Skowhegan and Canaan.
Skehan said organizers of the Quarry Road festival, which is free-of-charge, are disappointed it had to be canceled, as there are so many features of the facility and festival they wanted to tout. They include a road that has been rebuilt, a new parking lot that is centrally located to skiing areas, shuttles to take people to and from the event and a new 5K trail that is geared toward intermediate and advanced skiers.
Those wanting to support the recreation area’s operational costs may purchase vehicle stickers for $100 (gold), $50 (silver) or (bronze) $20 at the Parks & Recreation Department. They may call the department at 680-4744 for more information, according to Skehan.
Meanwhile, Central Maine Ski Club’s Paintball Biathlon will be held Feb. 11 at Quarry Road starting at 9:30 a.m. Those wanting more information may go to www.CentralMaineSkiClub.org
Also, the Fat-Tire bike race hosted by the Maine Chapter of the New England Mountain Bike Association will be held Feb. 26 at Quarry Road to include a 2-mile-plus groomed cross-country course with multiple laps. More information is available at CeMeNEMBA.org
The Quarry Road facility is open dawn until dusk, seven days a week.

Amy Calder — 861-9247
acalder@centralmaine.com