Shred Fest short films stoked on winter riding

Around here, residents are familiar with winter kind of just showing up whenever it damn well pleases and that’s A-OK if you live for the big dumps.

The locally inspired ski and snowboard film event Rockies: Shred Fest, formerly Winterstoke Banff, will have people aching for the ski hills following its event on Oct. 19 at Wild Bill’s Legendary Saloon in Banff.
Doors open at 8 p.m. Advance tickets are $15 until Oct. 15 and are $20 thereafter.

Locals armed with cameras and skis/snowboard get right into the thick of snowy things to inspire the on-screen entertainment at Shred Fest.

The best of the submissions, 10-12 short films between two and seven minutes in length, will be featured on Bill’s’ giant screen.

Everyone in attendance will get a say on who their favourite filmmaker is and the people’s choice will win a SkiBig3 season pass.

There are also major door prizes, giveaways, a winter tradeshow, an emcee and the first 100 in attendance will receive a swag bag.

Crowfoot Media and Capow Guiding host the evening and as organizer Dee Larosa puts it, their events are “our way to bring mountain culture to life.

“It’s (Rockies: Shred Fest) something we always wanted to do,” she said. “It’s a really cool collaboration of people … It’s local filmmakers, local content, local riders, local editors, so the films you’re watching are in more attainable areas – it’s Sunshine, it’s Lake Louise, it’s Norquay, it’s Rogers Pass, it’s areas everyone locally is familiar with and that’s what gets them really stoked.”

As a bonus, 10 per cent of ticket sales at Shred Fest will go to Avalanche Canada, a website dedicated to avalanche education and providing up-to-the-minute updates on mountain conditions in Western Canadian to backcountry users (www.avalance.ca).

“At our events, we always give 10 per cent to a non-profit,” said Larosa. “For Shred Fest and the winter alignment, we are giving 10 per cent to Avalanche Canada.”

Crowfoot Media is a publishing house in Banff with a focus on the wonders of mountain culture, which includes its yearly magazine Canadian Rockies Annual.

With an intimate appreciation for good journalistic storytelling, Larosa welcomes the same for the submitted Shred Fest films.

“What I really love seeing is when there is an editorial narrative to the submission – a story from start to finish – and a filmmaker manages to capture good riding, the narrative is three to four minutes and it gets people stoked for the season,” she said.

For additional information and/or tickets, go to www.shredfestrockies.com.

Tickets can also be purchased at Wild Bill’s.