Steamboat Winter Carnival is a five-day event held every February in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, to celebrate everything about cowboys and skiing. It may seem like these two themes do not go well together, but in Steamboat everything is possible. Its winter carnival has been taking place here since the early 1900s, showcasing the town's western heritage and strong winter sports traditions.
Steamboat Winter Carnival features lots of fun activities like people on skis being pulled by horses in the main city street, skiers jumping through fiery hoops, the Lighted Man with roman candles shooting out of his backpack, and spectacular fireworks.
Saturday and Sunday are the most important days of the carnival when visitors can attend a parade and the Night Show Extravaganza on Howelsen Hill, where athletes demonstrate jumps and flips while other skiers descend down the hill leaving a red glow along the ski trail.
The street events also feature amazing ski stunts right on the main street in downtown Steamboat. The Carnival is organized by the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club, which happens to be one of the largest and oldest in the U.S.
