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Whistler Says Bring on Olympics
Where to Find the Celebrations for the 2010 Games
The celebration is underway in Whistler Village.
It's Whistler. Live large.
This is the mantra of the mountain, the language of the locals, the call of this part of Canada.
While it refers to the high-altitude high the lifestyle presents people in this year-round playground, it also applies to what's occurring for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.
As the Village becomes Olympic-ized and the athletes arrive, Whistler is alive with Olympic fever. The first downhill event officially opens the mountain to the Games on Feb. 13.
The Whistler Village is all lit up for the Winter Olympics.
Tents and stages are either already erected or are getting finishing touches. Banners are going up around fences. People with credentials hanging around their neck are hanging around the Village. And, in the most telling sign for locals, parking lots are closed, cars are banned from the immediate area and workers must take buses to get to their jobs.
"Changes are happening even faster in the Village," says PubClub Whistler correspondent Phil Chambers. "It's really starting to look like the Olympics!"
What can visitors expect from the Olympics in Whistler and the cozy confines of the Village? Here's a look.
Whistler parties hard anytime and it's going for the Gold during the Games.
• A PARTY. Each day and night, Whistler is alive with the sounds of music. Mainly,this means live bands, Feb. 13-27. The last day, Usher is playing. Then there are the many bars, apres places and nightclubs of Whistler, for this is a happening ski resort. And it's just not in the Whistler Lower Village, but in what is known at the Upper Village, as well. At the base of Blackcomb, several small bars and restaurants await hungry and thirsty skiers, boarders, guests and athletes. See the link below for a full rundown of Whistler and Blackcomb's pubs and clubs.
Okay, now for a few rules. The drinking age in Whistler is 19. Many of the bars and clubs have cover charges at night. Beer and liquor can be purchased from government-run liquor stores. It is not legal to drink from open containers in the Village.
Whistler is staging live bands on many stages in the Village.
• WHISTLER LIVE. This is a series of stages and places with concerts, big screens showing the Games, DJs and Whistler's creative "fire and ice" show.
The main stage, called the Whistler Medals Plaza, also features medal ceremonies for the athletes. It is located at the entrance to the Village.
Just a couple of minutes walk away, Village Square features a large stage with a focus on live music performances by regional, national and international headliners. A large screen broadcasts competitions and digital arts.
The prime part of the Village, at the base of Whistler and Blackcomb mountains, is the area's prime apres spot with the Gerabaldi Lift Company (with its Sex Cheese appetizer) and the legendary Longhorn Saloon. During the Games, it's being called Skiers Plaza. and features big screens with Olympic broadcasts, street performers and a mountain canvas art show.
The Fire & Ice show takes place nightly in the Village.
At night the Fire & Ice Remix takes place to the sounds of international DJs. This is a show at the base of the mountain – easily viewable from the walkway or the patio of Gerabaldi's or the Longhorn – with local ski and snowboard instructors jumping over a ramp and through a flaming hoop, with fire-dancers to the side.
• THE WEATHER. While Whistler can be foggy at times, it puts on its best weather face in February. Locals are predicting nice weather, sunshine and plenty of snow.
Dave's can be seen snaking on the left; Franz's is ro the right.
• THE MOUNTAINS. Whistler is actually comprised of two mountains, Whistler and Blackcomb (they are accessible to each other by runs, a bottom gondola and a top-of-the-mountain gondola). Both mountains will be operating as usual during the Games, with 90% of it open to skiers and snowboarders.
The Bobsleigh/Luge/Skeleton track is the fastest in the world. The men's and women's downhill events are taking place on the south side of Whistler; the men's run is Dave Murray Downhill and the women's run and Super G is Franz's. Dave's starts with a huge dropoff into what officials predict will the be fastest downhill in the world. It requires skiers to make a hard, high-speed left-hand turn quickly followed by a right-hander down to the finish line. Franz's is less hectic but still presents great challenges.
The area is known as Creekside and while there's a fun bar at the bottom called Dusty's, it is within the security perimeter and is actually closed during the Games.
In a Gold Medal performance before the Olympics, locals participated in a "Drink Dusty's Dry" event (they succeeded). That, if nothing else, should tell one all they need to know about the prevailing attitude of those who live, work and play on this mountain.
It's Whistler, Live Large.
– VANCOUVER 2010 OLYMPIC STORIES, LINKS –
• Winter Olympics Fans & Party Guide,
• Lindsey Vonn, America's Next Olympic Star,
• Tips on Ways to Identify Canadians at the Games
• Official Whistler Olympics Site. www.Whislter2010.com
• A Guide to Skiing Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains.
• A Guide to Whistler's Famous Nightlife.
• Official Whistler Olympics Site. www.Whislter2010.com
 PubClub.com Home Page
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