Ice Fest’s Frozen Art in Downtown Chambersburg

One of the largest events in Downtown Chambersburg took place from Jan. 31st to Feb. 3rd. The Ice Festival originated in 2002, making this year the 17th year having the festival. Over the years, the committee, the events, and the crowds have grown. This is an important fundraiser for three Chambersburg organizations, the Council for the Arts, Downtown Business Council, and Downtown Chambersburg Inc.

Ice Fest is an event that is filled with fun for family and friends. There are more than 80 ice sculptures made by carvers from DiMartino Ice Sculpting. The carvers have trained for many years, and they can turn a plain block of ice into just about anything. Some sponsors for this event were Summit Health, JLG Industries, Shippensburg University, Wilson College, and many more. They have food vendors at the square of Chambersburg serving food such as kettle corn, pizza, and fairground style food. They also have fun events and activities for everyone. Some activities include a live, giant sculpture carving which is done by DiMartino Ice Sculpting Company. They have a double wide ice slide for children. Penns Woods Printmakers display, which is an exhibit of paintings, drawings, linocuts, and etchings. They also give a tour at the old jail, and they have a 5k run for anyone to join.

It may be cold during this time of year, but if you have not been to Ice Fest before I encourage you to go to it! It is definitely a lot of fun, and the ice sculptures are amazing to look at. It’s amazing how much ice was used for the sculptures. The art is beautiful, and it should be spread more around the community.