Medina Ice Festival set for President's Day weekend
Over 100 sculptures on display in 24th year
File photo by ALLISON WOOD An annual tradition, the first night of the Medina Ice Festival is always capped with the lighting of the ceremonial Fire & Ice Tower (pictured in 2017).
MEDINA – One of the largest free ice sculpture festivals in Ohio, if not the Midwest, returns to the Historic District Feb. 16-19.
Celebrating 24 years, more than 100 ice creations – sculpted, as always, by the artists of Elegant Ice Creations and sponsored by local businesses – will be showcased in the Public Square area during this year’s Medina Ice Festival.
“The ice festival is an important time for the local businesses around the square,” said Main Street Medina Executive Director Matt Wiederhold, whose organization has been a major sponsor of Ice Fest since 2008. “It’s a good boost to their post-holiday bottom line, and if it’s cold, people go in and out of the stores to stay warm.”
Last year, unfortunately, temperatures were strangely in the 70s and the sculptures didn’t last long.
“Perfect weather for an ice fest is around 35 and cloudy,” Wiederhold. “People are looking for something to do in mid-February to shake the winter blues and they love to bring out the whole family for this event.”
It all kicks off Friday, when 75 individually-sponsored sculptures will be placed on display throughout the nine-block Medina Historic District.
Things kick into high gear at 5:30 p.m. as the speed carving competition gets underway, with rounds at 5:30, 6 and 6:30 p.m. Winners will be announced at 7 p.m right before the lighting of the Fire & Ice Tower, an annual tradition.
Saturday’s highlights include the Individual Carving Competition between 1-4 p.m. The Team Carving Competition is Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.
As each new work is created throughout the weekend, the ice sculpture exhibition grows and remains on view through Monday afternoon. Each work is placed over color-changing LED spotlights, “lending a beautiful and ethereal way to view the sculptures in the evening.”
“Many communities have one-day ice events, but here in Medina, we’re blessed to have the skills of Aaron Costic and Elegant Ice Creations to coordinate and promote a four-day event,” Wiederhold said.
Celebrating 24 years, more than 100 ice creations – sculpted, as always, by the artists of Elegant Ice Creations and sponsored by local businesses – will be showcased in the Public Square area during this year’s Medina Ice Festival.
“The ice festival is an important time for the local businesses around the square,” said Main Street Medina Executive Director Matt Wiederhold, whose organization has been a major sponsor of Ice Fest since 2008. “It’s a good boost to their post-holiday bottom line, and if it’s cold, people go in and out of the stores to stay warm.”
Last year, unfortunately, temperatures were strangely in the 70s and the sculptures didn’t last long.
“Perfect weather for an ice fest is around 35 and cloudy,” Wiederhold. “People are looking for something to do in mid-February to shake the winter blues and they love to bring out the whole family for this event.”
It all kicks off Friday, when 75 individually-sponsored sculptures will be placed on display throughout the nine-block Medina Historic District.
Things kick into high gear at 5:30 p.m. as the speed carving competition gets underway, with rounds at 5:30, 6 and 6:30 p.m. Winners will be announced at 7 p.m right before the lighting of the Fire & Ice Tower, an annual tradition.
Saturday’s highlights include the Individual Carving Competition between 1-4 p.m. The Team Carving Competition is Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.
As each new work is created throughout the weekend, the ice sculpture exhibition grows and remains on view through Monday afternoon. Each work is placed over color-changing LED spotlights, “lending a beautiful and ethereal way to view the sculptures in the evening.”
“Many communities have one-day ice events, but here in Medina, we’re blessed to have the skills of Aaron Costic and Elegant Ice Creations to coordinate and promote a four-day event,” Wiederhold said.
