Sledding, skiing…swimming?!?

This week in Bridgton it’s all about Winter Carnival and Musher’s Bowl. The annual event is a January tradition, bringing thousands of revelers to town for professional dogsled races, cross-country skiing, snowmobile rides and yes, even a dip in Highland Lake.

Main Street will be filled with families taking horse-drawn carriage rides, and there are plenty of “friendly” games on tap including a table tennis tourney, broomball and the Mid-Winter Massacre Dodgeball Classic. Winter Carnival buttons which give you admittance to the many events are available at businesses all over town, and check out the Lakes Region Chamber’s website at

www.mainelakeschamber.com for a complete listing of all the weekend’s activities.

Crazy for dogs

One of the most popular events of the Musher’s Bowl weekend involves dozens of otherwise sane men and women voluntarily diving into ice cold water for a great cause.

Harvest Hills Animal Shelter holds its 10th annual “Freezin’ For A Reason” on Saturday Jan. 21, at Highland Lake Beach, and whether you’re one of the dozens of jumpers or hundreds of spectators, it’s quite a spectacle. Last year’s event raised $17,000 for the local shelter, which finds homes for hundreds of stray dogs and cats each year.

Registration begins at 11 a.m. at the beach, and the jump goes off at 1 p.m. You won’t want to miss it, and get there early because it will be packed. If you would like to participate or make a donation to the shelter, please call Harvest Hills at 935-4358.

Party time

The Winter Carnival Dance at the old Town Hall is always a highlight of the weekend, and this year promises to be the biggest yet. Along with live music and dancing, Bridgton’s finest chefs are bringing their favorite dishes to the dinner, and all the proceeds go to the Community Center.

The “Meltdown Party” runs from 8 p.m. to midnight on Saturday, Jan. 21, with Venezia, Campfire Grille, Black Horse Tavern and Morning Glory whipping up the eats and Wrong Road, Smoking Loafers playing blues and country/rock. There is also a cash bar to slake your thirst, and I’ll be the bartender so stop by and say hi. Tickets are $20 in advance; $25 at the door, but if you have your Winter Carnival button on it’s $5 less. Call the BCC at 647-3116 for more information.

Take to the woods

Bridgton is filled with parks, walking trails and scenic rambles, and one of its finest is right in town. The Lakes Environmental Association leads a Family Snowshoe Trip Through Pondicherry Park on Sat, Jan. 21 at 10 a.m.

This family-friendly hike will turn everyone into animal tracking naturalists as you explore clues left behind by long-tailed weasels, minks, American river otters, Eastern chipmunks, and red squirrels.

Wear warm clothing and bring a camera, and if there’s enough snow to merit it you can borrow snowshoes from LEA. Call 647-8580 for info.

Pickin’ and grinnin’

There’s nothing like a night of smoking bluegrass to shake off the winter blahs, especially when it’s helping a great local cause. The 8th Annual Deep Freeze Bluegrass Music Festival is on Saturday, Jan. 28, at 7 p.m at the Bridgton Town Hall, and all proceeds benefit the Lakes Environmental Association. Featured bands include Hemingway Brothers, Jewel Clark, Donnie Katlin as well as Squash and Gourds. The show is BYOB. Tickets are $15 each, $25 per couple and only $30 for the whole family and are available at the LEA office on the corner of Chase and Main streets. Call 647-8580 for more information.

Spa day for survivors

The Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope and Healing continues its awesome community outreach with their fourth annual “Pamper Yourself Spa Morning” on Saturday, Jan. 28.

Join other cancer survivors and caregivers at Crystal Lake Spa and Wellness Center on Route 117 in Harrison from 9 a.m. to noon for a morning of massage, facials, pedicures, haircuts and reflexology. Refreshments will be provided and all services will be free. Please pre-register with Bridgton Hospital’s oncology department at 647-6120.

Trace your roots

Learning more about your ancestors and where they came from is a

fascinating way to celebrate your heritage. I always knew I was descended from several famous (and infamous) Scottish characters, but it wasn’t until I discovered deeper Finnish roots that my love for smoked salmon, saunas and Ikea finally made sense to me.

Local history buff Katherine Vincent is leading a Genealogy Workshop at the Bridgton Library on Tuesday, Jan. 24, and it is free and open to everybody. From 6 to 7 p.m. Vincent will teach you how to research your family history and use Ancestry.com. Call the library at 647-2472 for more information, and happy hunting.