WHISTLER, BC – February 19, 2013 – The World Ski and Snowboard Festival in Whistler (WSSF) is the ultimate celebration of mountain culture and is the largest festival of its kind in North America. Now in its 18th year, WSSF combines the pillars that make up the foundation of the ski and snowboard industry: sport, music, art and fashion. The all-inclusive nature of WSSF makes it easy for anyone who is passionate about living a mountain lifestyle to get involved. The Festival runs 10 days and 10 nights from April 12 to 21, 2013 and now is the time for those people who want to get involved to toss their hats into the ring.

If You Are an Artist…
State of the ART is a free art exhibit that takes place in the Whistler Conference Centre Grand Foyer. It provides artists from all over the world, who are inspired by a mountain lifestyle, the opportunity to showcase their work. New this year, State of the ART will run the entire 10 days of WSSF, providing artists with even more time to showcase and sell their work to festival goers and art aficionados.

The exhibit kicks off at the State of the ART Opening Party on Friday, April 12. For the remainder of the festival the State of the ART gallery is open from 12pm to 6pm daily. No tickets are required to attend the State of the ART exhibit or the Opening Party. Call for submissions is now open with the deadline on Thursday, February 21, 2013. Artists interested in participating can find more information at: http://www.wssf.com/event/state-art.

If You Are an Athlete…
The Association of Freeskiing Professionals (AFP) World Championships will take place at WSSF from April 12 to 16. Athletes will be invited to compete based on their AFP rankings but interested competitors can also register for a chance at a spot in the competition. More information including the registration form will be available on March 1, 2013 at: http://www.wssf.com/event/world-skiing-invitational-afp-world-championship.

For the second year in a row The Shred Show, presented by Monster Energy, Slopestyle and Big Air competitions will be TTR World Snowboard Tour 5-Star events at WSSF. The Slopestyle and Big Air are both invitational but interested athletes can also register online for a chance to compete. The Boarderstyle competition in the Blackcomb Terrain Park is an open event where anyone can participate. Registration for all snowboarding events will open March 1, 2013 at: http://www.wssf.com/event/shred-show.

If You Like Behind The Scenes…
The World Ski and Snowboard Festival requires up to 400 volunteers to put on the largest annual winter sports and music festival in North America. Volunteer opportunities exist in all aspects of WSSF, from the on-mountain sport events, to the art events in the Whistler Conference Centre, to the Outdoor Concert Series at the Main Stage in Skiers Plaza. Those interested in seeing what goes on behind the scenes at WSSF can register to be a volunteer at: http://www.wssf.com/volunteering.

If You Are a Photographer…
The OLYMPUS Pro Photographer Showdown is one of the signature events at WSSF and attracts some of the top action sport photographers in the world. Anything goes at the Pro Photographer Showdown, from ski and snowboard photography to surfing, biking, skateboarding, climbing and lifestyle. Competing photographers will have the opportunity to present a nine minute slideshow compiled of the best images they have collected throughout their careers to an audience of 1500 people. The winning photographer will take home the grand prize of $10,000 for Best in Show and all runner-ups will receive $1,500.

For the first time ever the 2013 OLYMPUS Pro Photographer Showdown finalists will have the opportunity to showcase and sell their images in State of the ART during the festival. Brian Nevins, a surf photographer and 2012 OLYMPUS Pro Photographer Showdown winner, has described participating in the contest as one of the best experiences of his life.

The OLYMPUS Pro Photographer Showdown will take place on Thursday, April 18 at the Whistler Conference Centre. Call for entries is now open with the deadline on March 1, 2013. Photographers interested in competing can find more information at: http://www.wssf.com/event/olympus-pro-photographer-showdown.

If You Are a Filmmaker…
The OLYMPUS 72 Hour Filmmaker Showdown is arguably the most popular event at WSSF year after year. The event is open to anyone and requires participants to shoot, edit and produce a three to five minute short film within a 100km radius of Whistler over the course of 72 hours. Participating teams must rely on originality, speed and endurance to get the job done but all the hard work is worth it when their film is presented to an audience of over 1,500 people in the Whistler Conference Centre. With $10,000 on the line, the OLYMPUS 72 Hour Filmmaker Showdown attracts some highly creative and talented people so the audience is in for a treat on Tuesday, April 16.

New for 2013, WSSF has introduced an ENCORE presentation of the OLYMPUS 72 Hour Filmmaker Showdown which will happen on Wednesday, April 17. All the same films will be shown as the original screening but at the ENCORE presentation The People’s Choice winner will be announced, giving the audience a chance to be a part of the action. Filmmakers who would like to compete can find more information at: http://www.wssf.com/event/olympus-72hr-filmmaker-showdown.

If You Are an Action Sports Filmmaker…
The third installment of Intersection at WSSF will take place at the Whistler Conference Centre on Friday, April 19. Participating crews will have seven days to shoot, edit and produce a five to seven minute extreme sports film which must include a skier and a snowboarder, 30 seconds of terrain park footage, and 30 seconds of footage from Whistler Blackcomb in-bounds terrain. The entire film must be shot within 100km of Whistler and at least 75 per cent of the film must be on snow. Crews who participated in 2012 have been invited back and additional spots are up for grabs for new competitors. $15,000 is on the line for Best in Show and all runner-up teams will receive $1,000. Interested filmmakers can find more information and details on how to register at: http://www.wssf.com/event/intersection.

If You Like Fashion…
2013 will mark the eighth year of fashion, form and function on the catwalk at WSSF with Fashion EXPOSED. This year’s theme is swagger, implying a demeanor of confidence, coolness, and togetherness. For the first time ever Fashion EXPOSED will be a free event and will take place outside at the Main Stage in Skier’s Plaza on Saturday, April 20 from 3:30pm to 4:30pm. Fashion EXPOSED will be holding casting calls for male and female models who want to get their swagger on in early March. Interested models and fashion brands can find more information on how to be involved at: http://www.wssf.com/event/fashion-exposed.

If You Are a Musician…
WSSF hosts the largest annual Outdoor Concert Series in Canada and attracts some of today’s top musical acts. Free concerts will be available daily from 2:30pm to 5:30pm at the Main Stage in Skier’s Plaza at the base of Whistler Mountain. Musical acts interested in performing at WSSF can inquire by visiting http://www.wssf.com/contact and selecting the Music Inquiries category.

Tickets to WSSF are now available for purchase at http://www.wssf.com/estore.