Programme announced for The Mighty Coe ski and snowboard festival

 

The programme of events and exhibitors for the UK’s first ever mountain-based ski and snowboard festival has been announced. Hosted on the mountain in Glencoe, it includes an impressive line-up of attending snowsport brands alongside a wide range of on-snow and social activity.

 

At the heart of the daytime snow action is a piste-side festival village half-way up the ski centre terrain, with exhibiting or equipment testing from brands such as Salomon, Nordica, Dynastar, Atomic, Dynafit, Lange, Black Crows, K2, Shred, Fauna, Jones, Line, Planks and more. UK snowsports retailer Ellis Brigham will provide some curated festival shopping opportunities. Organisers say more brands will be announced over the coming weeks.

 

For those wishing to progress their skills, a programme of courses and sessions includes guide-led ski touring – with test kit included – from Salomon, and Atomic will also be providing a taste of the backcountry experience and a chance to try their skis. Reduced price lessons are also available if getting to grips with piste technique is what’s required.

 

“Apart from just getting together to celebrate skiing and snowboarding after the last two years of misery,” says organiser Neil Dalgleish, “one of the aims of the festival is to encourage people to discover the joys of getting into the backcountry – safely. People can find out what kit they need, maybe try some of it, and join a group to learn the basics of what to do and how to stay safe out there.”

 

The festival also features The North Face and Ellis Brigham Snow Night – a film and apres night which has already toured to London and Manchester. Scottish lockdown snow film Grounded will receive a rare showing alongside Versatile with Victor De Le Rue and Sam Anthamatten, and The Approach with Leanne Pelosi, Vasu Sojitra and others. The Snow Night will be something of a baptism for Glencoe Mountain Resort’s new café building complex – newly rebuilt from the ground up after a horrific fire on Boxing Day 2019.

 

The idea for the Mighty Coe was born during Covid lockdown, and is in part a response to the renewed interest in ‘home snow’, but also the bigger climate picture. “Look at the tragedy happening to the glaciers and to the weather. It shouldn’t need saying – it’s real,” says Neil. “We have to change what we do – all of us. I hope this festival will show that you can still have an amazing time in the mountains without flying off to the Alps or wherever. Learning to make the most of our less polluting opportunities has to be a crucial part of the future for UK snowsports enthusiasts.”

 

The festival has partnered with climate action charity Protect Our Winters, whose aim is to help passionate outdoor people become effective climate advocates to achieve systemic solutions to climate change.

 

The Mighty Coe aims to be an annual celebration of skiing and snowboarding for the UK, both on-piste and in the backcountry, and takes place at Glencoe Mountain, Scotland, on 26-27 March 2022.

 

The festival is supported by The North Face, Salomon and Ellis Brigham.

 

Full programme info is available at www.themightycoe.com

 

For more information on demo, expo or any other aspect of The Mighty Coe, email office@hillsideoutside.com

Or call 01721 588050

 

The Mighty Coe is organised by Scottish outdoor event organisers Hillside Outside Ltd in partnership with Glencoe Mountain Resort.