Carved in ice

I’ve been going to the World Ice Art Championships since I was a kid. The ownership & location has changed, a main building has burned down, but much remains the same.

I’ll always marvel at the intricacies the sculptors achieve in their work. How do you whittle an ice block into art?

This year, I went on a Monday night. Kids were out in full force, playing on ice slides and sculptures. I realized that they’re on spring break, and it was nice to see such a big turnout at 9 pm on a Monday. Despite warm temperatures the last few days, the ice was in pretty good shape.

My tips for ice park viewing: Go after dark. Go as soon as you can after the multi-block competition is done so you can see everything before melting begins. Wear a ton of layers, and prepare to walk a bit – the park is kind of spread out. If you want to go on the ice slide, bring a sled.

Here are some of my favorite shots from the evening.

I love the texture on the whaleThey really did up the Christmas lights this yearBatsDetail on the bat sculpture Halibut