Community Business Owners and Leaders,

Graeagle Plumas Alliance is a group of local businesses focused on bringing more dollars to Eastern Plumas County. GPA plans to do that by improving marketing efforts for events and activities to visitors and tourists.

GPA is targeting Presidents Weekend (Feb 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st) as an opportunity to develop and promote a Winter Festival Weekend filled with activities and events. GPA is creating events and activities to draw participants and families from outside the area, as well as within our own community.

The weekend will be filled with competitive events such as snow shoe and cross country skiing races, sledding competitions. Snowmobile poker runs and snowmobile tours along with family events of snowman building, snow castles, snow ball toss, and a family triathlon of snow shoe, cross country skiing and sled pull.

The Plumas Winter Festival is being organized by GPA with assistance from the City of Portola and the Eastern Plumas Chamber of Commerce and local businesses.

GPA would like for all businesses in the Portola and Graeagle area to join in. There have been several initial meetings to solicit ideas and establish a format. Again the purpose of this event is to bring more visitors to our community and establish a relationship with them so they will want to return again and again. This is an opportunity to create an annual event which will infuse our economy during a time when it is grossly needed. We’d like you to join us and be a part of this exciting opportunity for our community.

The GPA’s Winter Festival committee meetings are Monday morning at 8 am in the Portola City Hall Council Chambers. Please bring your questions, concerns and optimisim to help make this an outstanding and spectacular event. We need your support, involvement and spirit to make this happen. Tourism growth will help support our communities. Be an active part and participate! We look forward to working with you.

The next meeting is Monday October 25, 2010 at 8 am in the Portola City Hall Council Chambers

Plumas Winter Festival Chairpersons,

Chris David and Jeanne Graham