2011 Arctic Blast Planning Info

Register for Vikings Arctic Blast

See and visit with current and former Viking players, cheerleaders and a few team execs when you attend Arctic Blast XVI on majestic Mille Lacs Lake, February 12-13, 2011.

We'll update you with names of current and former players attending  when the Vikings provide us the list. The team has helped raise more than a million dollars for the Vikings Children's Fund with this event. This is a great Mille Lacs-area family event!

Hundreds of sledders are expected to accompany the Viking entourage. The Purple will ride Arctic Cat snowmobiles throughout the scenic trail network in and around Garrison, Malmo and Isle. The four Blast Points are: Blue Goose Inn (Garrison),  Castaways Bar and Restaurant (Malmo), Nitti's Hunter's Point (Isle) and Buzzie's on the Bay (Isle). Riders will need  two stamps to qualify for more than $30,000 in prizes to be given away at Sunday's Grand Casino Events and Convention Center.

With a paid registration, you will receive a prize drawing ticket when you check in to a minimum of two Blast Points. The prize ticket makes you eligible for the thousands of dollars in prizes awarded at the Sunday Prize Party held at Grand Casino Mille Lacs Events and Convention Center.

No snowmobile? No problem! With your paid registration, feel free to use the Mille Lacs Trail and Drift Skippers Snowmobile Club's courtesy shuttle around the lake. Shuttle schedule with times of departures and arrivals to blast points will be posted on vikings.com in late January / early February.  The schedule will also be posted at all Blast Points the day of the event.

The event provides premier visability to the Mille Lacs Lake area. It can also help galvanize the community, according to Bob Schlichte, director of strategic relationships for Grand Casino Mille Lacs/Hinckley. Schlichte has had a role in the last 11 Arctic Blast events. He was quick to praise Pat Leopold, Viking Children's Fund director, who plans and helps facilitate the event.  The number of Blast Points has been reduced recently, prompting people to ask why?   

 "We used to have six blast points but I think the recession may have taken one oe two down," Schlichte said.  "We used to have Eddy's as a starting point but because it was non-alcoholic we didn't see people coming back (to the point). Bayview is far southwest of the other Blast Points and I think it kind of made things tougher."

For more info and to register, visit vikings.com.