OLD FORGE, N.Y. (WKTV) - The 35th Annual Snodeo in Old Forge kicked off Friday afternoon, without much snow.

Town of Webb Publicity Director Mike Farmer says that is one of the reasons why the annual event is held in early December, because of the usual lack of snow at this point in the season.

Farmer says if there was a lot of snow on the ground, the snowmobilers would be out snowmobiling instead of inside shopping at the Town of Webb Recreation Center Pavilion where more than 30 vendors set up booths.

Farmer says the lack of snow means those same shoppers pump even more money into the local economy after spending time at the Pavilion. He said, "they go into town to the businesses, otherwise they're riding from here to Long Lake, they'll look around and we'll never see them again."

The Snodeo is a weekend-long event designed to allow people to get acquainted with the latest in snowmobile technology, and to getting people excited about the upcoming season, which opens next week, weather permitting.

Besides the national snowmobile manufacturers, a number of local business owners set up a booth at Snodeo, including Chip Kiefer, who owns Souvenir Village on Main Street.

Kiefer says Snodeo is the kickoff to the very important snowmobile season, 'it's really the time when everybody gets up here, takes a look at some of the newer sleds, takes a look at equipment that's out here, gets kind of excited about snowmobiling."

The owners of the Holly Woodworking Gift Shop, which has two locations in Old Forge, also open up a booth at the Pavilion this weekend.

Co-owner Andrea Hollister says her family has set up a booth for years because many people use this event as a perfect Christmas shopping opportunity, "the energy here is very exciting, the people get here, they're buying their new sleds, getting everything worked on for the season."

Snodeo continues on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m..