By Alexa Back
With the grand opening of Boston’s winter wonderland, Snowport, comes the popularity boom of a sport called curling.
“This is our fourth year having iceless curling lanes in the neighborhood,” stated Emily Soukas, Associate Director of Community and Partnerships for Seaport by WS Development. “We saw a ton of local companies and offices doing team outings to the lanes, we saw families enjoying them. And so over time, we've just found different ways to grow that program.”
The lanes debuted in 2019 at Boston's Snowport, a Seaport winter event transforming the neighborhood into a winter wonderland.
Visitors curling on Snowport’s ice-less curling lanes. By Alexa Back.
Morgan O’Neill, a visitor at Snowport originally from New Jersey, tried out the lanes at Snowport. “It was the first time I've ever curled. It just seems like a sport anyone can do. But there's obviously skill involved. And I was not as good as I thought it would be.”
O'Neill first heard about curling after the 2022 Winter Olympics. After its appearance, popularity surged. Now, it is one of the most popular sports held at the Olympic Winter Games.
Paul Wilhelm-Aronofsky, Vice President of the North End Curling Club, explained how the granite rock game works. “Each team consists of four players and they alternate taking turns trying to throw the rock down the ice at a target called the house. Once all the rocks have been thrown, that's called an end, kind of like an inning in baseball, and whoever has the most stones closest to the center gets to score that many points.”
“Since the last Olympics, there's been a ton of clubs that have opened up in New England and all over the country. So it's definitely a rapidly growing sport,” stated Aronofsky.
Massachusetts boasts the most of all the states' curling clubs included in the Grand National Curling Committee, with nearly 20 percent of the 69.
“Curling in the Boston area has been growing the past few years for sure,” stated Jonathan Hearn, President of NECC. “We definitely see an uptick in interest as winter approaches, with big spikes when the Winter Olympics is held, and even in mid-summer.”
NECC offers lessons on select Saturdays at Snowport, stated Aronofsky. “Members of the public can come in for free and learn a bit about the game, how it's scored, and how it's different from the on-ice curling.” Bostonians booked all the available lessons, but WS Development intends to offer more sessions, Soukas assured.
The NECC also features on-ice curling sessions, Aronofsky explained. “Those are two hour sessions that we do charge for, but you get into the delivery mechanics, you can get to a little bit of the history of the game, curl with actual 42 pound rocks instead of the plastic ones, and get to play a game against other people.”
Curling is now integral to Snowport, Soukas explained. Snowport began in 2019 as only an ice skating rink. “Three years later, we now have a holiday market that supports over 130 local businesses, we have iceless curling lanes, we have large scale, winterized lawn games, and we have a neighborhood mascot named Betty the Yeti who’s a hot pink six foot tall Yeti.”.
Visitors entering and exiting the Holiday Market at Snowport. By Alexa Back.
The Holiday Market alone welcomed over 820,000 people last year. “We’re on track this year to definitely hit that number and hopefully exceed it,” Soukas stated.
"It's incredibly profitable and really a life changing economic opportunity to be able to participate in the market," Soukas stated. As a result, vendor applications skyrocketed. In the first year, the Holiday Market featured 74 booths, the next 100, and 150 this year.
Visitors at Boston’s Snowport walk around and shop at the Holiday Market. By Alexa Back.
Georgia Burrell started an upcycled jewelry business called Georgia Marie Designs in 2015. It is her second time selling at Snowport, and she intends to return. “People get really excited to find unique gifts for people and the other vendors create a good community for all of us.”
Snowport will operate until December 31. Visitors at Snowport can book curling sessions through its website.
Kommentare