Salisbury and the surrounding communities of northwestern Connecticut offer a wide range of unparalleled opportunities. Please enjoy Elyse’s Country Journal, published weekly on Wednesday. Elyse’s hope is that it will help open up a new perspective of our area.

• SWSA’s 88th Annual Jumpfest Winter Festival takes place February 7 to 9 in Salisbury. This exciting, fun-filled event begins with a Winter Warmer fundraiser on February 1. From then on and through the U.S. Eastern Ski Jumping Championships up at Satre Hill behind the village on Sunday, February 9th, Salisbury is booming with events for everybody. Dress warm for the chili cook off, human dogsled races, and judge the ice carving entries, dress sporty for the Snow Ball on Saturday night. Visit our art galleries, do some bargain hunting at the local stores, buy the Lakeville Journal and find an insert with all events scheduled, and please support SWSA (Salisbury Winter Sports Association) in every possible way. This event is the pride of our little Village and we want to see everybody crowding the streets and back roads. For all schedules of events, please go to www.jumpfest.org and/or buy the local paper.

• The Salisbury Recreation Commission will offer ice skating to the public on the following Saturdays at The Hotchkiss School Dwyer Rink from 11 AM to 12:30 PM on February 1, 8, and 15. The cost is $3 per skater. All participants must bring their own skates. Skates must be worn by anyone on the ice. It is recommended that all participants wear protective equipment including, but not limited to, helmets, gloves and elbow pads. Hockey sticks and pucks are not permitted on the ice. Cancellations due to weather will be pasted on the town website, www.salisburyct.us.

• The Salisbury School on Canaan Road will also open its rink to the public, from 4 to 5:30 PM on February 2, 9, and 16. During these hours there are no hockey sticks. All skaters must wear a helmet or hat. Times are subject to change.

• Master cellist and award-winning composer Stephen Katz comes to Salisbury on February 7, giving a concert at 7 PM in the Congregational Church on Main Street. Katz performs original and traditional cello pieces that reveal his quest to develop the approach to the cello he calls “Flying Pizzicato.” The concert is free.

• The Arts at Hotchkiss present Howard Fishman — composer, guitarist, singer, bandleader, storyteller — and his Quartet on Saturday, February 8, at 8 PM. The concert is free and donations will benefit The Little Guild of St. Francis animal shelter in West Cornwall.