Devine's Winter Funfest struggles to get their snow to stick around

HARRODSBURG, Ky. (LEX 18) — Although it's been cold and icy out over the last couple of days, it hasn't been quite cold enough for the owner of Devine’s Winter Funfest, Jason Devine. Every year, in the fall, his farm runs Devine’s Corn Maze and in the winter, it becomes Devine’s Winter Funfest. People can come out and enjoy an affordable day of snow tubing.

He says, "You know we're not really in the, I would think, snow belt area, you know, obviously we're a little farther south. But we are able to make some snow."

Devine’s is looking for the right consistency of snow. Jason Devine says in years past it's taken about 20 gallons of water a minute over 24 hours, to get enough snow to fill their tubing slope.

"About 22-23 degrees is ideal for us, for our set up. We pull the water out of the river, and we pump it into this machine here. I got two different snow making machines and it really is just a big pressure washer, if you will. Water comes in like in a pressure washer and it sprays it out of these holes within this ring here,” says Devine.

Devine’s has worked to get a good base of eight to 10 inches of snow. So far this year, Devine’s hasn't been able to open for tubing. As a farmer, Devine says opening the farm during the fall and winter can help pay for the essentials they need.

Jason Devine

He says, "The last couple of years I’ve been able to upgrade my equipment to be able to make the snow lanes, the tubing lanes and things like that... but, you know, this year is gonna be a little tighter to be able to put any more money into, for next year."

It's looking like it'll still be tough to make snow even this weekend. They're hoping for at least one good stretch where people can ride before the end of the season in February.

Devine says, "We want everybody to come out and have a great time. Families come out and they are — just amazed that you can spend the — a little bit of money compared to what you would normally spend in unlimited tubing for the night or for the day. And it's just a good time for them to come out and do."

Devine says that when the temperature drops, check them out to see if you can stop by for a ride.