Winter is Coming and so is the Edmonton Sled Show
Fall is officially here, and that means it’s time to get ready for sledding season. To get your mind and machine properly prepared for the rapidly approaching winter there is no better way than check out the annual Alberta Snowmobile and Powersports Show (ASPS) at the Edmonton Expo Centre.
Get your buns on down to the Edmonton Expo Centre aka Northlands, where all the magic takes place.
The 3-day exhibition takes place every year in October, and it’s the biggest event of its kind in Western Canada. It’s the place to get your first glimpse of the latest iron from the manufacturers, check out the hottest mods from custom shops near and far and get your mitts on all the gear and accessories you’ll need for the season. The show is so big that it regularly takes up four massive exhibition halls covering more than 120,000 square feet.
At the ASPS you’ll see a lot of shiny parts that go, “psssshhht, pssshhht!”
Two things make your sled perform much, much better—carbon fibre and stickers.
There are hundreds of exhibitors, and all kinds of gear is available ranging from performance parts to clothing to avalanche safety equipment and beyond.
But the ASPS isn’t just about seeing the newest, coolest stuff in the sledding game. It’s a reunion of all the people that are passionate about our sport. All the big film studs like Chris B. and the other Chris B. are there, hanging out and talking sledding with the regular fellas. And there are the other guys like Rod the Mod, who you haven’t seen since that trip to McBride last year. It’s not even uncommon to recognize someone that you might have stood next to in the beer gardens lineup the year before.
If you’re lucky, you might spot industry celebrities such as Mountain Sledder Magazine’s Editor-In-Chief pretending to hold a steaming muffpot full of clam chowder. Mmmmnnn, smells good!
ASPS regulars—the Micku family of Top Secret Shop—will be happy to tell you all about their proprietary shiny boxes that make your sled go uphill fast.
Just don’t go expecting to meet babes. If you’re a dude and you wear a ball cap, the ASPS is the place to be.
Friday night is usually the busiest, but there’s a lot going on all weekend. Mountain Sledder Magazine will host the annual 509 Film Premiere, presenting this year’s film, Volume 11. It’s a fun chance to have a few drinks and mingle with industry folk and many of the riders in the film.
Tickets are already selling fast, so make sure you get yours early:
Buys Tickets for the October 14, 509 Volume 11 Premiere
On Saturday there is a used sled swap, which is a great way to pass along your old machine to someone else or pick up something that’s new-to-you.
There’s just a few people that like to attend the Alberta Snowmobile Show.
Don’t forget to check out the super-cool vintage snowmobile display. You might have some flashbacks to your culvert-jumping days as a kid.
The pace on Sunday is a little more relaxed, and oftentimes show goers will come back to score a few deals after they’ve had the chance to check the entire show out beforehand. Sunday is also the day of the final draw for the Grand Prize of the show—a 2017 Summit 850 X 165 from BRP. You won’t want to miss that!
The Klim crew likes to wrap up the big show with their annual mixer party.
It’s a little sad when the crowds have come and gone, but hey, it’s alright… the countdown to winter is on!
The 2016 ASPS happens October 14-16 at the Edmonton Expo Centre. Show hours are 4-10pm Friday, 10-7pm Saturday and 11-4:30pm Sunday. Tickets are available on TIckemaster and at the door. Visit albertasnowmobileshow.com for more details.
See you there!
– Patrick Garbutt
