ALOHA WHISTLER ACCOMMODATIONS BLOG

Imagine experiencing the thrill and excitement of askeleton slide or bobsleigh ride at the venue of the 2010 WinterOlympic Games. You can now with the Whistler SlidingCentre public sliding programs.

Starting in mid December will be the Skeleton PublicSlide Program and Bobsleigh Public Ride Program. This is the ultimate adventure and an amazing way to experience thefamous course just like the athletes did at the 2010 Winter OlympicGames.

Skeleton Public Slide Program

The Skeleton Public Slide Program will begin on December16. The experience begins with a sport orientation,including helmet fitting, sled positioning, sliding sessionwalk-through, track etiquette, and safety guidelines. The slidestarts at the Maple Leaf start position which is 1/3 of the way upthe track. A  track crew member will meet you there to gothrough the final checks before you begin your journey down. Onceyou have been given the green light, a track crew member willsecure your sled as you climb on, releasing you for the run of yourlife!

You will pass through six corners and canexpect to reach 90-100 km/hr by the time you race through thefamous Thunderbird corner at the bottom of the track. You willenter into the uphill outrun and slow to a stop at the juniorfinish.  A track crew member will be ready to assist your exitand grab your sled.  You will enjoy two skeleton runs beforereturning indoors to Guest Services with your guide and fellowsliders to revel in your shared adrenaline-filled experiences!

The price for the Skeleton Slide is $149 per personwhich includes 2 solo skeleton runs.  The tour will beapproximately 2 hours.

Bobsleigh Public Ride Program

Starting on December 22^nd will be the publicBobsleigh ride.  Your Bobsleigh Ride Experience willbegin with a sport orientation, including helmet fitting, slidingsession walk-through, track etiquette, and safety guidelines. Theride begins at the start position which is 1/2 way up the track. Atrack crew member will meet you there to go through the finalchecks before you begin your journey down the track with two otherfellow participants and a professional pilot.  You will passthrough ten corners, and can expect to reach 120-135 km/hr by thetime you race through the famous Thunderbird corner at the bottomof the track. You will enter into the uphill outrun and slow to astop at the finish dock. After the exhilaration of your bobsleighrun, you will return indoors to Guest Services with your guide andfellow sliders to revel in your shared adrenaline-filledexperiences!

The price for the Skeleton Slide is $149 per personwhich includes 1 bobsleigh run with a pilot.  The tour will beapproximately 2 hours.

This is a wonderful experience and no prior skeleton orbobsleigh experience is required. All participants must be16 years or older at the time of the experience.  Advancebooking is required. If at any time before the experience takesplace, a participant finds that they are not comfortable withparticipating, a refund will be provided. Visit Whistler Sliding Centre forfull program details.

ARE you looking for whistler accommodation for your whistlerski vacation?

Contact our staff todayfor more information. Check out our great selection of Whistler luxuryhomes, condos and townhouses.

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If you ask any local what their favourite thing aboutThanksgiving in Whistler is (apart from Thanksgiving dinner) it’sthe annual Turkey Sale! Unfortunately there are no turkeysfor sale, but this is THE weekend of the year to buy all your ski,snowboard, gear and winter clothing at greatly discountedprices.

This year, Canadian Thanksgiving falls on Monday October10th.  The Turkey Sale is on all weekend from October7th to the 10th.  The sale takes place at the Blackcomb DayLodge, just at the base of Blackcomb Mountain in the UpperVillage.   This annual sale is legendary.  You canshop for top name brands in ski and snowboard equipment with hugepre season savings!  You will find sales throughout WhistlerVillage as all the stores and restaurant like to participate in thefun of Turkey Sale weekend.

Happening at the same time, will be the annual WhistlerMountain Ski and Snowboard Swap.  This is alsolocated outside the Blackcomb Day lodge in the tent. The SWAP has aproven reputation for quality pre-owned equipment for both kids andadults.  There is a huge selection and you will findunbeatable prices.  This is also a great place to sell yourused skis, snowboard and boots.

Thanksgiving weekend is the also the last Whistler FarmersMarket of the season.  The market is held on Sundayfrom 11am to 4pm in the Upper Village outside the Fairmont ChateauWhistler.  This is the place to shop for your ThanksgivingDinner.  There will be local produce from the Pemberton Valleyincluding pumpkins, carrots, squash and Pemberton Potatoes. The market also features fresh baked goods including deliciouspumpkin pies.  The Whistler Farmers Market also featuresartisans, crafts, organic and local produce, honey, pottery,jewellery and more!

Once you have shopped until you have dropped you may stillhave some energy for a Whistler activity.  This isthe last weekend that the Whistler Mountain Bike Park is open, sohead on up and experience one of the best mountain bike parks inthe World!  This is also the last weekend that the golfcourses will be open.  Have a great game of golf at TheFairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Course, Nicklaus North or theWhistler Golf Club, all of which are open over the ThanksgivingWeekend.

Looking for a Whistler CONDO for thanksgiving?

Contact our staff todaywho can help you find the perfect Whistler accommodation for yourstay in Whistler.  We also have some great rates available at the moment.  Checkout our great selection of Whistler luxury homes, condos and townhouses.

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A new festival is coming to Whistler over the Labour Daylong weekend from September2^nd to4^th.

The Jazz on the Mountain festival is a weekend filled withconcerts by top international and Canadian jazz artists, freeconcerts around Whistler Village, a street festival with children’sentertainment and family fun and a master class series for selectedstudents.

Outdoor concerts at Whistler Olympic Plaza

Daily outdoor ticketed concerts will be at the WhistlerOlympic Plaza. Jazz on the Mountain will feature jazzgreats including Kevin Eubanks Quartet, Stanley Jordan Trio, OliverJones Trio, The New Gary Burton Quartet, Spyro Gyra, TheRippingtons and more!

The Whistler Olympic Plaza will play host to theinaugural Jazz on the Mountain at Whistler, offeringfestival goers the opportunity to be among the first to experiencethis incredible facility.  This outdoor venue featuresstunning views of Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains.

Tickets are available as a 3 day pass or single daypasses and will provide access to the Whistler OlympicPlaza venue from noon until night, with in and outprivileges.   Tickets are valid for all shows each day inthe Whistler Olympic Plaza.

The venue will also feature the Jazz Bistrosponsored by Heineken, Appleton Estate Rum and its Festivalbeverage The Appleton Pentatonic, and by WineOnline.  Relax in this great venue and enjoy snacks,cheese, gourmet food, beer, wine and other beverages.

There will be a Solo GuitarSeries at MillenniumPlace. This late night series ofperformances is set to thrill as three jazz guitar masters eachtake to the stage for a solo performance.  This is a ticketedevent and will feature guitar virtuosos Stanley Jordan, KevinEubanks and Russ Freeman (of The Rippingtons) in their element.

Free outdoor concerts

Whistler’s Village Square, at the very heart ofthe resort will host a stage for the duration of thefestival.  Daily free shows are at 2pm and 4:30pm and willfeature the powerhouse jazz fusion ensemble Five After Four, bassvirtuoso Michael Farquharson, drum wizard Mat Marucci, Five AlarmFunk and more!

Street Festival

Throughout the three-day Jazz on the Mountainfestival, Whistler Village will come alive with anincredible street festival featuring acoustic musicians,face-painters, jugglers and acrobats. This is the perfectentertainment for kids and all the family.

Jazz on the Mountain Schedules

For more information check out detailed schedules of…

• Day 1 featuringKevin Eubanks, Stanley Jordan and more;
• Day 2 featuringGary Burton, The Rippingtons and more;
• Day 3 featuringOliver Jones, Spyro Gyra and more;
• or visit the Jazz on the Mountainwebsite.

Are you looking for Whistler accommodation for the Jazz on theMountain Whistler Festival?

Check out Aloha’s complete listing of accommodations in Whistler.Then contact our in-resort localexperts to get more information or book your lodgings, eventsand activities!

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Crankworx has pushed the boundaries of freeridingfurther than any other festival out there.

One of the highlights of the festival is the Red BullJoyride on Saturday July 23^rd which combineselements of slopestyle, dirt jump and North Shore mountainbiking.  Over 20,000 spectators are expected to watch the RedBull Joyride in Whistler Village, evidence that the Crankworxfestival is huge and getting more popular each year.

There are many events taking place over the duration of theKokanee Crankworx festival showcasing the sports many differentangles including freeride, trick and slopestyle events, races ofall descriptions, trial riding and even pump track racing.

Don’t miss the Canadian Cheese RollingFestival!

The Whistler Kokanee Crankworx festival is a greatspectator event for families and all ages. Anotherhighlight of the festival and the only non-mountain bike themedevent is the Canadian Cheese Rolling Festival on July23^rd. This hilarious event is so much fun for the wholefamily.  Head over to Blackcomb Mountain to see what thisevent is all about. Visit the Canadian Cheese RollingFestival for more information.

For more information you can read the day by dayevents for the Whistler Crankworx festival.

Still Need Whistler Village Accommodation for theCrankworx Festival?

Check out Aloha’s complete listing of accommodations in Whistler.Then contact our in-resort localexperts to get more information or book your lodgings, eventsand activities!

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The Whistler Farmers Market is one of the highlights ofthe summer in Whistler.

Featuring fresh local produce from the Pemberton Valley andbeyond.  Stock up on local strawberries, raspberries,blueberries, Pemberton potatoes, greens and beets to name a few! Aswell as amazing produce the Whistler Farmers Market  featuresan array of artisan foods, home baked goods, fresh bread,jewellery, textiles, pottery, woodworks, bath & body productsand art work.

Every Sunday from 11am to 4pm allthrough the summer until October 10^th.

The market located in the UpperVillage, outside the Fairmont Chateau Whistler at the baseof Blackcomb Mountain.

New this summer, the Farmers Market will also be open onWednesday evenings from 3pm to 8pm. The Wednesdaymarket will be a smaller market and will concentrate on offeringfresh produce and food items.

The Farmers Market is fun for the wholefamily.

Combine your shopping with a visit to the BlackcombAdventure Zone.  Located at the base of BlackcombMountain the Blackcomb Adventure Zone is a kid’s paradisefeaturing, mini golf, a bungee trampoline, luge track, climbingwall, horse rides and many more fun activities.

Looking for Whistler Village Accommodation thisSummer?

Check out Aloha’s complete listing of accommodations in Whistler.Then contact our in-resort localexperts to get more information or book your lodgings, eventsand activities!

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Whistler’s Kokanee Crankworx, the biggest and mostprestigious freeride mountain bike festival on our bigplanet is back for 2011. Whistler Crankworx finished its seventhyear as its largest yet in 2010.

The World’s Greatest Freeride Festival

In less than a decade, Whistler Crankworx has become THEfree ride festival worldwide. A supercharged magnet forthe world’s best riders and the definitive domestication of dirt inthe service of epic endurance, supreme flow, monster air andgravity-fuelled mountain biking. Over ten fearless days in July,the venues at the Whistler Mountain Bike Park  serve as amodern day Colosseum to the world’s best mountain bikeathletes.

Highlights from Whistler’s Crankworx 2010: The numbers speak forthemselves year after year, from spectators, online web views,athletes and cash prizes – the list goes on.

• Over 20,000 spectators lined the course and filled Skier’sPlaza for the Monster Energy Slopestyle
• Highest visited period in the Whistler Mountain Bike Parkever
• Nearing 8,000 facebook followers
• Mike Montgomery’s GoPro footage of his Slope style run – nowover 1.1 million views
• Over 300 accredited media from 17 countries, including majorbike magazines, filmmakers and bike industry webzines
• Over 1,200 competitor starts throughout the event

9 Days of the Ultimate Mountain Biking Event

When it comes to the ultimatemountain biking event, no nine days stand so solid asWhistler BC’s Kokanee Crankworx. On par with the X Games, PipelineMasters, and the Hannenkahm, Crankworx is the definitive event whenit comes to off-road bicycles flying up and down Canada’s roughexterior.

Whistler’s Crankworx continues to progress the mountain bike sceneon all fronts. Crankworx 2011 runs from July 15 to 24.

Check out the complete listing of 2011 WhistlerCrankworx events:

Looking for Crankworx Accommodations?

for help with information and lodging selection or browse ourchoice of the best accommodations inWhistler.

Crankworx Photo: Steve Rogers

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Whistler celebrates snowboarding & skiing

For 10 days, April 15-24, Whistler rocks with the 16thannual TELUS World Ski & Snowboarding Festival. Thebiggest event of its kind, TWSSF brings together Canada’s bestwinter sports with bands and DJs from around the world and artinspired by the sports.

When does the TWSSF start?

The festival gets underway Friday, April 15night with the opening of the State of the Art multi-media artsshow at the Whistler Conference Centre. But the next night,Saturday, April 16, is when things really get going with aspectacular after dark snowboard jam that will leave youbreathless. If you can’t make it for the first weekend, don’tdespair. The weekdays are packed with activities and the TWSFFdoesn’t conclude until the end of the next weekend!

Boarderstyle, Slopestyle & Pipes to spare

The Show: A Snowboarding Eventsees the hardy take on the Mogul Mash on April 17.

For three days, April 17 – 19, the mountainwill belong to boarders as they test their mettle inBoarderstyle/Stylecross events, Dustin Craven’s FUN pipe Jam andthe aforementioned moguls.

On April 20, the skiers move in.

From April 21 – 23, the World Ski Invitationalwill have ranked two plankers from around the world taking part inSlopestyle, Degree Superpipe and Big Air events for a shot at someof the $100,000 in prize money.

TWSSF: It’s music, too

As the mountain winds down for the day, the main stageat the base of the mountain at Skier’s Plaza will rock.The Axe free concert series will be presenting awesome alternativebands every afternoon including Tokyo Police Club, Broken SocialScene and Gogol Bordello. Whistler’s self-proclaimed “Daddy-Os ofthe patios”, The Hairfarmers, will be rocking après at betterpatios in The Village. This year late night party scene belongs toMonster, the energy drink company with events including the TheSh*t Show, The Late Show and The Side Show.

Learn More About Each WSSF Event Day

Looking for WSSF Accommodations?

Check out Aloha’s complete listing of accommodations inWhistler.

Then contact our in-resort localexperts to get more information or book your lodgings, eventsand activities!

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Whistler Sliding Centre returns for the 2010 – 2011 winter season this month, starting with the Viessmann FIBT World Cup.

The Viessmann FIBT World Cup will be the first competitive event at the Whistler Sliding Centre since the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, which took place last year.

Skeleton and Bobsleigh events featuring some of the best athletes from Canada and around the world start November 25 and will continue through until November 27th.

FIBT World Cup directions, schedules, and admission costs are available from the Whistler Sliding Centre website .

Whistler Sliding Centre Tours

Take a self-guided tour of one of Whistler’s premier Olympic skeleton, luge and bobsleigh tracks and see where dreams came true.

Built between 2005 and 2007, Whistler Sliding Centre took almost two full years to complete, readying it for last year’s Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

Easy access via the Excalibur Gondola, stop in and see the action.

The Whistler Sliding Centre is only one of the many new features passed on after the 2010 games at the most popular ski resort in the world.

We’ve grown, and we here at Aloha Whistler Accommodation would love to have you back again for another season.

Photo by Steve Rogers.