By Staff
We are hoping that the weather man will cooperate for the second annual Hunter Ice Festival to be held in Niles Jan. 13-15.
An estimated crowd of 5,000 participated in the festival last year, which featured ice carving and ice cream among to other things.
The theme for this year's event is “Gateway to the World.”
The extended forecast is calling for mild temperatures through Friday of next week and then snow showers on Saturday.
In addition to all the wonderful events from last year, the festival has added wine tasting on Saturday, Jan. 14 from noon until 7:30 p.m.
The tent will feature wines from local vineyards. The wines will be paired with cheese or chocolate for the tasters.
The festival itself will begin Friday evening with the carving of the four key entrance pieces which will be made from multiple ice blocks.
Carving will continue on Saturday, Jan. 15 at 9 a.m. and wrap up around noon.
Approximately 20 sculptors will create designs from three to five blocks of ice each.
When the ice chips clear, there will be more than 50 sculptures gracing the downtown area.
Included in the Saturday highlights will be the District Library's history exhibit, which is open from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.; the Hunter Ice Cream booth, which is open from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m.; and kids activities including face painting, balloon animals and clothesline art, which will be held from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m.
On Sunday, Jan. 15 there will be a timed professional carver competition at Riverfront Park from 9 a.m. until noon; a master carver timed competition from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m.; and children's activities from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m.
We would also invite you to stop by and check out the awards ceremony which will be held at Renaissance Place, 404 E. Main St., at 6:30 p.m.
With temperatures hovering around the freezing mark, we expect nearly perfect weather for the event.
Take the time to stop in on Friday night, Saturday or Sunday to help make the Hunter Ice Festival an even bigger hit than the inaugural event in 2005.