Steamboat Springs — The Steamboat Ski Area will pencil another “X” on its calendar and close the book on the 2008-09 season this weekend.

Steamboat Ski and Resort Corp. will shut down operations with typical fanfare Saturday and Sunday. Events include the Cardboard Classic race, a charity snowshoe race, pond skimming and free concerts.

The snowshoe race is new this year and benefits Steamboat Adaptive Recreational Sports, or STARS. The race is Saturday after the Cardboard Classic, and racers will use the same track, said Tarsha Ebbern, an administrative assistant for STARS.

“They’ll run up one side and down the other in snowshoes, and it should be pretty funny,” Ebbern said.

Ski Corp. and Edgemont are the event’s main sponsors, and participants must pay $15 and bring snowshoes. STARS also will accept donations. Racers can compete in beginning, intermediate and advanced groups, Ebbern said.

“We have all kinds of prizes from restaurants and stores around town, plus Edgemont is a major sponsor, and they’re going to have a reception, an after-party after the race for all the winners,” Ebbern said.

That reception will be at the Edgemont preview center at the Steamboat Grand Resort Hotel.

Steamboat Springs isn’t expected to have a massive infusion of visitors for its closing festivities. According to the Steamboat Springs Chamber Resort Association’s lodging barometer, 24 percent of the city’s pillows are expected to be occupied Saturday night. That amounts to 3,600 people.

The city had 6,900 occupied pillows April 4, 9 percent more than forecast.

The STARS Snowshoe Scramble is the only new closing weekend event, Ski Corp. spokeswoman Loryn Kasten said. The pond skim was new last year, and any skier or rider is invited to try to swoop across a pool near the base Sunday.

About 30 people in various states of dress and undress competed last year. Skiers and riders of all ages donned wild costumes or swimsuits, and most ended up in the frosty water.

“Anyone can participate,” Kasten said. “Anyone who’s crazy enough to participate.”

Free concerts featuring Catchpenny and Ozomatli will round out Sunday’s final events.

Some ski lifts already have closed for the season, Kasten said Tuesday. All lifts stop running at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, and the Morningside area will be open Saturday and closed Sunday.

“We’re just excited to close out another great season and hope everyone comes out and celebrates and has a good time with us,” Kasten said.