Cripple Creek’s main thoroughfare will be a flurry of activity as spectators observe ice sculptors in action as it celebrates its 19th Annual Ice Festival, turning Bennett Avenue into an open-air art gallery of ice sculptures.

The festival brings together six teams of elite ice sculptors from throughout the country for live carving competitions, large-scale sculpture displays, and interactive winter fun at an elevation of 9,494 feet.

The nine-day festival runs Feb. 14–22 with sculptures on display throughout the festival’s duration, to include live carving battles, street vendors, and family activities taking place Fridays through Sundays during the weekends of Feb. 14-16 and Feb. 21-22, including President’s Day.

Head-to-head carving challenges are featured on Saturdays at 1:30 and 3 p.m. with an ice sculptors’ competition held in a stadium setting as they vie for a $1,000 cash prize each weekend. The competition is held at the city parking lot location on Bennett Ave.

Spectators will have a chance to observe the competitions in a stadium-style setting, casting votes for their favorite sculpture, to bestow the winning carving teams with the People’s Choice Award.

Prior to the festival, semi trucks will arrive with cargoes totaling 204,500 pounds of ice that originated from a fresh water lake in Ohio – known for its clarity – and used specifically for ice carving. (Please note: Bennett Avenue will be closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic on Feb. 10th and 17th for ice delivery.)

Front end loaders will then offload a total of 675 blocks weighing 300 pounds each. The ice blocks are strategically placed on the south side of Bennett Ave. to protect melting from the sun’s UV rays. Following ice delivery, the ice carving begins in preparation for the main event with artists working on their sculptures throughout the full run of the festival. During the weekdays visitors can observe the ice sculptors as they transform 300 pound blocks of ice into detailed, temporary works of art.

EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

The Ice Festival features numerous fun, family-friendly events to enjoy throughout both event weekends. Vendor participation, events and activities occur during the weekends between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., weather permitting.

Interactive ice sculptures based on this year’s open theme provides free outdoor entertainment for kids of all ages to climb, touch and explore, including: walk-through ice mazes and ice slide, with other sculptures to crawl up, over, under, around and through. The sculptures also provide a great backdrop for photo opportunities.

Food and retail street vendors lined up along upper Bennett Ave. give visitors a festival atmosphere offering classic food, handmade crafts and a variety of creative gift items for sale.

A Beer Garden with DJ music located within a warming tent, will be set up at the Pocket Park, next to City Hall. Plus, the Double Eagle Hotel and Casino has opened up an indoor Kids Activity area, offering Pizza and hot chocolate.

Cripple Creek’s historic storefronts are also open throughout the festival, with numerous shops offering antiques, souvenirs, ice cream, fudge and gifts items.

Local restaurants range from casual diners to steakhouse classics.

BUTTE THEATER PRESENTS “SOUND OF ROMANCE” & “ICE FEST CABARET”

Visitors at the Cripple Creek Ice Festival are invited to warm up inside the historic Butte Theater to listen to live entertainment and enjoy refreshments.

In celebration of Valentine’s Day, Saturday evening, Feb. 14 at 7 p.m., the theater features “Sound of Romance”, a Romantic Valentines Performance and musical revue of local performers highlighting romance through a variety of songs and music. Tickets are $15 per person and $25 per couple and include fancy desserts and Champaign. Tickets can be purchased at the door or call 719-689-6402 for reservations.

During the day on both Saturdays, Feb 14 and 21 from 12 noon until 2 p.m., stop in to see “Ice Fest Cabaret” a free Cabaret style entertainment event with singers Jaimie Brown, Emily Heida and piano with Sebastian Bojorquez to warm up with hot chocolate, cider, cookies and beverages. (Donations to benefit Friends of the Butte Theater are always welcome).

The Butte Theater is located at 139 East Bennett Ave.

ICE FESTIVAL ART SHOW AND SALE

February 14-22, 10-5 daily

While at the Ice Festival, visit the Cripple Creek Art Show and Sale held at the Heritage Center located at 9283 S. Highway 67 at the top of the hill prior to entering town.

Sponsored by the Cripple Creek Art Alliance, local artists will be on site to feature their original artworks with mediums including: pen & ink, watercolors, acrylics, photography, jewelry.

Admission is free.

MORE DETAILS

As in the past, this event is free and open to the general public. On Saturdays and Sundays there is free parking, along with free shuttle service from the Cripple Creek Heritage Center, located northeast of town on Highway 67.

At the conclusion of the Ice Festival, the ice sculptures will remain on Bennett Ave. for the next few weeks – as long as they are able to retain their intended form.

For more Ice Festival event information go to: www.visitcripplecreek.com/events/cripple-creek-ice-festival/ or call 719-689-2502.

ICE SCULPTING BACKGROUND

Once a practical endeavor, the origin of sculpting ice began with the early Inuits who built igloos – ice and snow houses – for shelter.

The moulding and sculpting of ice into artistic shapes began with decorated ice lanterns in China. In the 1600s native hunters and fishermen from the Chinese province of Heilongjiang designed ice lanterns to illuminate the dark winter nights. Filling buckets of water to be frozen, the ice was then freed from its mould with a hole carved in the middle where a candle was placed to make a lantern.

Russians claim that the city of St. Petersburg was where the art of ice sculpting began, growing into a monumental scale when, in 1739, an ice palace was commissioned by the Russian Empress Anna Ivanovna. The palace, designed by Piotr Eropkin, featured ice cannons firing cannon balls made of ice, and a sculpted elephant spraying water out from its trunk.

Ice carving tools of the trade first incorporated the use of salt and simple hand tools, Today, artists also use chainsaws, handsaws, hairdryers, irons and chisels to fashion ice into whatever the artist’s imagination can conceive.

Ice sculpture artists utilize blocks of ice either frozen specifically for that purpose or obtained from frozen rivers and lakes with fresh water that freezes slowly, making the ice more clear.

Locally, as an historic aside, the entire existence of the town of Lake George, Colo. centered around the acquisition of ice blocks procured from the lake and then transported by railroad to ice houses in Colorado Springs and Denver. The ice was also used for the refrigeration of railroad cars carrying produce such as locally grown lettuce.