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Steamboat Springs — As the ski season winds down, so do the estimated number of people expected to spend the weekend in local lodging properties.

The projections for closing weekend are similar to what Steamboat Springs experienced last year.

The Lodging Barometer published by the Steamboat Springs Chamber Resort Association on Wednesday forecasts that 3,200 people will spend the night in area lodges and hotels Saturday night, with mountain-area hotels being 21 percent full. During the same weekend last year, 3,300 people were projected to spend closing weekend in area lodging properties. That projected number ended up seeing a bump in terms of actual visitors. About 4,000 people ended up staying in Steamboat that Saturday.

Overall, numbers for this month appear to be down, however.

"I think April is going to be down compared to last year, especially due to the location of Easter on the calendar," said Sandy Evans Hall, executive vice president of the Chamber. "Family resorts rely on those break times. It's unfortunate because we have all this snow."

About 7,200 visitors spent last Saturday in local accommodations.

Steamboat Ski Area is celebrating the end of the ski season with its annual Springalicious.

Evans Hall said visitors this weekend likely would include second homeowners, timeshare owners and some families taking vacations.

"You do get some families that have a late spring break," she said. "I heard from a few people that said they are pulling their kids out of school a little bit early."

There might be some tourism from the Front Range, as well.

"If it's sunny down there, they might consider coming up for a little spring skiing and fun," Evans Hall said.

The 31st annual Cardboard Classic is Saturday. Judging takes place at 10 a.m., and racing begins at 11 a.m.

For the fourth year, the ski area will host the Splashdown Pond Skim at 1 p.m. Sunday. The event features skiers and riders who try to gain enough speed to skim across an icy pond at the base area.

The ski area will start to close its lifts about 45 minutes early Sunday, and the final Bud Light Rocks the Boat free concert featuring The Wailers and Katchafire starts at 2 p.m.

— To reach Matt Stensland, call 970-871-4247 or email mstensland@SteamboatToday.com