Bring out the chainsaws! Cripple Creek Ice Fest returns this weekend after two-year break

Kelly Hayes, The Gazette (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
·2 min read

Feb. 16—Put on your gloves and crank that chainsaw. It's back!

The Cripple Creek Ice Festival is returning after a two-year break brought on by the pandemic. The two-week- long festival will kick off Saturday, and the party will continue through Feb. 26.

"It's really been a collaboration between people who love the event fighting to bring it back and the Ice Fest Committee," said Klaryssa Murray, marketing coordinator for Cripple Creek. "It's been a lot of work to bring it back, a lot of people working at it, but it's great."

The festival, which began in 2007, brings ice carvers from around the country to demonstrate their skills. This year, five teams will go head to head at the festival, competing for a grand prize of $5,000 — voted on by the public.

"It's a little bit of everything. We have a couple of returning artists and we have a couple new artists," Murray said. "We have a team from New York, we have a local team, we have a different team from somewhere else in Colorado. They're kind of coming from all over."

The teams will each be given 121 ice blocks to work with, Murray said. The carvers started their sculptures Wednesday, so that by the time the festival begins, their artwork will have started to take shape. Visitors can watch the sculptors in action throughout the two weeks as the artists work their pieces on Bennett Avenue.

Sign Up for free: Peak Interest

Your weekly local update on arts, entertainment, and life in Colorado Springs! Delivered every Thursday to your inbox.

Sign Up

View all of our newsletters.

Success! Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.

View all of our newsletters.

"People can find them pretty much any hour of the day," Murray said. "Typically, they like to carve when it's a little colder, but not absolutely freezing, because that's the best time to carve the ice."

While there have been themes in the past, this year it's artists' choice. Expect works related to animals, film and even Colorado, Murray said.

"They can carve to their own strengths," Murray said. "It's kind of gonna be all over the place, but it's going to be super fun."

In addition to the overarching competition, carvers will also compete in shorter games each Saturday. On those days, two sculptors will be given one hour to craft a carving from a theme drawn that morning. The winner will take home $1,000.

"I can't wait to go, I'm so happy it's back," Murray said. "It's gonna be great, and I'm sure people will love it."

Food and retail vendors will be at the festival on both weekends, including President's Day.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE GAZETTE