Franklin County's IceFest will be icier than ever and events will evolve in 2023
IceFest is on track to be bigger, better and icier than ever in Franklin County in 2023.
Thousands of people are expected to slide into downtown Chambersburg Thursday through Sunday for the biggest winter festival in Pennsylvania.
Popular activities and events will be back in pre-pandemic form. After being canceled in 2021 for the first time in 19 years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event returned last year for its 20th anniversary with some changes due to health and safety concerns.
"We're excited all our activities are back to how they were before COVID," IceFest co-chair Penny Shaul said.
More ice, bigger 'giant' sculptures
Organizers set out to have more ice at the festival each year, Shaul said.
Forty-seven tons of ice will be trucked into Chambersburg this year for IceFest, she said. DiMartino Ice Co., of Westmoreland County, will bring the ice and the carvers.
More ice means more ice sculptures (115-plus) than ever, according to Sam Thrush, president of Downtown Chambersburg Inc. The sculptures, each sponsored by a local business or organization, will be on display along the downtown corridor.
Family business returns to IceFest:Ice carving a blend of construction, science, art
Some of these will be "giant" sculptures that will be carved live during the first two nights of IceFest, Thursday and Friday. These sculptures will be bigger than ever this year.
Being able to see ice carving is a key draw to IceFest, Thrush said.
"I think people love having a community event in the middle of the winter to get out of their house, stretch their legs, to see ice carving. You don’t get to see that kind of art that often," he said.
IceFest activities evolve
The Icing on the Cake competition will return to the Wood Center in Capitol Theatre on Saturday, after cake entries were separated and displayed in downtown storefronts last year. Between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., people will be able to check out the sweet creations by student, amateur and professional cake designers and vote on their favorites for $1 per vote or $10 per 12 votes. Also returning: free cake, at 4 p.m.
Chili Q, where paying guests can try 10 samples of barbecue and chili and vote on their favorites ($20 day of, $15 in advance), and the Beer Garden will move back to the borough parking lot on North Main Street, next to Avocado Cafe. The hot pepper eating contest will also return to Chili Q, and there will be a new event, the "wing off." Shaul wouldn't divulge details about it but encouraged people to keep their eyes on IceFest's website and Facebook page for new information.
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An adult scavenger hunt will be added to the event lineup this year. Unlike the children's scavenger hunt, where participants answer questions based on the festival's many ice sculptures, the adult version will focus on local history and businesses, Shaul said. Mittens, created by local artists, will be hidden downtown to guide adult hunters. The winner of the adult hunt will be awarded $150, while youth winners win gift bags (forms with all correct answers are entered into a drawing from which one winner is selected in each age category).
The Snowfall Ball will return Friday to the social hall at Central Presbyterian Church on Memorial Square. With social distancing in mind, it was held at a larger venue last year.
There have always been plenty of food vendors at IceFest, but this year the event will host one of Downtown Chambersburg Inc.'s official Food Truck Festivals. Started in 2020 to help DCI recoup fundraising dollars lost due to COVID-19 restrictions, the seasonal festivals have become popular attractions. The IceFest iteration will take place Saturday and Sunday, with trucks and other vendors along Main Street and Lincoln Way Saturday and in the borough parking lot on North Main Street on Sunday.
The double-wide ice slide, located in the parking lot next to YP Jewelry at 133 S. Main St., will remain a popular part of IceFest this year. The Run Your Ice Off 5K will close out the event on Sunday. Local organizations will also host performances, exhibits and other activities during IceFest.
A new, often busy, event from last year that won't be back is ice skating.
"It just didn't work out this year," Thrush said. "We'll see if there's a future with it."
Traffic, weather and other IceFest things to know
IceFest is a fundraiser for Downtown Chambersburg Inc., Downtown Business Council and Chambersburg Council for the Arts. M&T Bank is the presenting sponsor.
The hours of official Icefest events are 5-8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. Keep in mind ice sculptures will be open for viewing anytime and accompanying events may begin earlier.
The festival area will be closed to traffic on Saturday. Between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., vehicles will not be allowed on Main Street between King Street in the north to Washington Street in the South or on Lincoln Way between Second Street and Black Avenue.
It appears that the weather will be just right for IceFest. Less than a week out, Accuweather's forecast shows high temperatures in the 30s on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, but slightly warmer in the low 40s on Thursday. No major precipitation is on the forecast so far.
For more details about IceFest and a full schedule, go to IceFestpa.com.
Amber South can be reached at asouth@publicopinionnews.com.