Britain's original large-scale indoor snow centre, the Snowdome at Tamworth in the West Midlands is 20 years old this year.
The Snowdome's birthday is a significant anniversary. Although there had been indoor snow centres built in Belgium, Australia and japan in the late 1980s and an indoor snow making test facility in Nearby Telford, the Snowdome (which has also trademarked the name 'snowdome' was the first to claim it uses 'real snow' rather than the snow-like chemical goo or 'sloping ice rink' of earlier versions.
The Snowdome is also one of the longest surviving indoor snow facilities, with most of the afore-mentioned centres which opened before it now closed. More than 70 more indoor snow centres have been built around the world since Tamworth opened, many of them using the 'real snow' first used there.
There are currently six indoor snow centres in the UK, credited as the home of the 'fridge kids' who gave Britain our best ever results at the Sochi Olympics.
The Snowdome will be staging a 20th birthday party on Saturday 17th May from 8.30pm, with discounted slope access (£20). They're encouraging attendees to ski or board in gear from the era and also running a photo competition looking for video and photos from anyone who has visited the centre over the past 20 years. Any submissions should be made by April 30th.
http://www.snowdome.co.uk/info-events/news/film-photo-appeal/