Over the weekend, the Downtown Carlisle Association held its ninth annual Ice Art Fest. The festival, which draws thousands of visitors to downtown Carlisle annually, was held over the weekend, from 5 pm on Jan. 31 to 3 p.m. on Feb. 2.
There were around 100 statues, which went on display on the Jan. 25, positioned outside many of the businesses on Hanover and High Street. Each statue was customized to it’s business, with some being carvings of their logos and others highlighting unique quirks of the businesses or their owners they were representing. The sculptures included a hotdog outside Hamilton’s Restaurant, a carving of Hogwarts Castle from “Harry Potter” outside the Bosler Memorial Library, a cat representing the owner’s cat, Mulan, outside Whistlestop Bookshop and a hyper-detailed carving of a smash burger outside Grandma Stamm’s.
Dickinson also contributed an ice sculpture in front of the Paz Alumni and Family Center, designed to look like the college’s beloved mermaid, with a cutout in which people could put their faces in.
Aside from the ice sculptures, business also hosted special events or had extended hours. The American Legion held a vendor showcase, The Whiskey Rebellion had an ice bar, Carlisle Creative Vibes hosted a Harry Potter-themed drag show, Benchfield Farms gave carriage rides around town and many restaurants had live music playing inside or on the sidewalk. On Saturday, artists carved fresh ice sculptures on the steps of the old courthouse.
Notably, the Ice Art Fest’s Diamond Dig was also held over this weekend at Marjorie’s Gems and Jewelry. They raffled off a nearly $3,000 diamond, with proceeds from the raffle benefiting the Downtown Carlisle Association.
This festival benefits Carlisle small businesses during the slow, winter months, bringing thousands of people to the town over the weekend.
