Ullr Fest

Grab your Viking hats and celebrate all things winter at the 59th annual Ullr Fest, December 7-8, 2023. Breckenridge invites locals and visitors of all ages to praise Ullr, the Norse god of snow, in hopes of a powder-filled ski season. Show your devotion at the Main Street parade and become part of history at the longest Shotski® “unofficial” World Record breaking attempt. If you’re in for a legendary party, this is one you won’t want to miss!

Event Highlights

• Take part in the Ullr Parade down Main Street
• Break the Breckenridge Distillery Shotski® “unofficial” World Record
• Prove your dedication to snow at the Ullr Bonfire

 

The most convenient free parking will be at the Airport Road lot, which will be serviced by Breck FreeRide Red Route. The Tiger Dredge, Wellington, and East Sawmill lots are FREE after 3 p.m. Visit BreckPark.com for in-town parking options and rates. Breckenridge residents are encouraged to carpool, bus, bike and walk into town to avoid additional congestion.

Join the Breckenridge Distillery and the Breckenridge Mountain Rotary in their quest to continue their reign for the unofficial world record for longest Shotski®.

We are looking for 1,350 people to help us beat Park City’s record! Grab your friends and sign up to join Breckenridge during Ullr Fest and be part of the world record Ullr Shotski®!

Time: 4:00pm start, 3:45pm line-up
Location: Main Street Breckenridge
Cost: $15 All proceeds benefit the Breckenridge Mountain Rotary.

Must be 21 years old to participate. This event is expected to sell out.

SOLD OUT

Parade Registration Deadline:

Floats must be registered by 12:00pm on Tuesday, December 6, 2022. If parade capacity is met before the December 6 deadline, parade registration will automatically close.  There is no waitlist for the parade.

PARADE REGISTRATION IS CLOSED

 

Prizes For Best Float

Register a float for your chance to win cash prizes!  $1000.00 for 1st place, $750.00 for 2nd place and $500.00 for 3rd place.

PARADE RULES

• All vehicles must be decorated to participate in the parade.
• No fire, flames or fireworks of any kind, unless pre-approved. No floats allowed over 16ft.
• Vehicle MUST be driven by a designated SOBER driver; any reckless driving will have consequences. There is no alcohol permitted inside the vehicle as all laws concerning open containers and driving under the influence still apply.
• You must not throw anything from your float, instead, walk alongside your float and pass things out.
• Please stay close to the people in front of you so that there are no large gaps in the parade.
• The parade will turn on Adams Ave and floats will need to work their way through the Tiger Dredge parking lot to exit.

Breckenridge Police Officers and the Parade Officials will be monitoring these guidelines throughout the parade. Failure to comply will result in your removal from the parade.

Staging

Parade staging starts at 3:00pm before the parade begins at 4:30pm.

• All participants must line up on the (300) block of North Main St. headed south. (Access from North Main St, onto 300 N block).
• All participants need to check-in and sign waivers before parade start.

1^st Place: The Clark and Cousin Eddie Show, A Christmas Vacation tribute / Krystal 93
Shitter’s full Clark! Clark Griswold and Cousin Eddie terrorize the yuppies next door, Todd and Margo. Fried cats, runaway squirrels, and enough lights to put Breck on nuclear backup power.

2^nd Place: Ferris Ullr’s Day Off / Charter Sports
Ferris Ullr and his friends driving around in a red 1961 Ferrari 250 GT

3^rd Place Summit County River Rats And Pirates / S.C.R.R.A.P.
Drinking for Ullr for snow this winter and water this summer! Drinking double for the best of both seasons! Slapping bags and flying flags! Let it snow!

The Breckenridge Tourism Office and the Ullr King and Queen Selection Committee are seeking nominations for this year’s royal court. Though historically Ullr royalty has been a traditional couple, it is not a requirement that the King and Queen are connected with each other. Residents may nominate non-couples, individual kings and queens, or elect to shake up traditional king/ queen gender roles.

Please fill out the following form to support your nomination explaining why your nominee is deserving of this honor. Nominees should be involved in the Breckenridge community, love snow and should be passionate about Breckenridge’s wacky traditions.

Nominations Due: Sunday, November 20, 2022

Ullr needs a few key volunteers to help with parade staging and parading.  Are you ready to help the God of Snow and his devotees put on the best festival ever?  Let us know!

Legend has it that Ullr, the Norwegian snow god was so well skilled in the use of the bow and could go so fast on his skis that in these arts no one could best him. Each winter he covered the earth with snow to protect it from harm. It has been said that Ullr enjoyed the cold weather and loved traveling throughout the land, gliding along on his great skis, for pleasure and hunting.

It is also said that Ullr was such a great skier, he would streak across the sky leaving the brilliant stars as his trails (they obviously had some fine powder days). Though very skilled, Ullr guarded his knowledge closely and refused to show the other gods how to ski. Luckily for us, he let the secret out of the bag, and we will all be soon celebrating his glory. Next time you are trying to bash through some wind crust or plunge head first into fresh waist deep powder, be sure to invoke his name and remember – ULLR RULES!

Ullr Finds A Home in Breckenridge

Shortly after Breckenridge Ski Resort was founded, local legends, Sigurd Rockne and Trygve Berge, created the first Ullr Dag festival. The festival came about because the majority of the ski school instructors were Norwegian and had a long tradition of celebrating Ullr, the Norwegian god of snow.  The festival included a ski parade, competitions and aerial tricks demonstrated by ski school instructors.  There were two booths, one at each end of Main Street, which cars had to stop and could buy Ullr Coins which gave them discounts in certain shops in town. The first crowned King and Queen for Ullr was Governor John Love and his wife Ann Love. To kick the parade off, there were four jets that flew 500 feet above Main Street. After the parade there was a bonfire.  Ullr fit right in and took to the mountains. And every year, Ullr blesses Breckenridge with some of the finest snow in the world.

To repay Ullr for his gift of snow, we here in Breckenridge continue to hold a festival to honor the god of winter. We now call this little celebration Ullr Fest.  Over the year, many traditions were formed such as the Ullr Ball, the Ullr Bonfire, the Ullr Parade, Snow Sculpting, Ullr King and Queen, the Ullympics and the Ullr Dating Game. Some traditions have stayed, such as snow sculpting, which has become its own event called the International Snow Sculpture Championships. Other traditions have gone by the wayside.

From fake currency to burning old skis in the bonfire, Ullr Fest has always been about fun and partying…and Breckenridge knows how to hold a “killer party, dude.” Just ask any of the locals.

Ullr Fest continues throughout the week with games, parties and more.