Ice House Park hosts popular ice sculpture fest

Keith Gushard, The Meadville Tribune, Pa.
·2 min read

Dec. 5—CONNEAUT LAKE — Rain may have delayed the start of the Ice House Festival at Conneaut Lake, but it didn't dampen spirits or activities on Saturday.

Stormy skies pushed back unveiling of some of the ice sculptures by about an hour — a precaution to keep them from melting prematurely.

"We're just unloading the ice sculptures because we wanted to keep it special for you to see," Sandy Eldridge, the festival's organizer, said during opening ceremonies at Ice House Park in the borough.

The festival featured more than 40 ice sculptures of all shapes and sizes — including some giant interactive sculptures like a captain's chair and a slide.

"That was really slippery," Lincoln Shafer, 5, of Conneautville said to his mother, Samantha, after gliding down the ice slide.

"We wanted to check this out," Samantha said of stopping at Saturday's festival.

The lakefront Ice House Park off Route 322/Water Street and South First Street had numerous people checking out the sculptures crafted by DiMartino Ice Co. of Jeannette.

"It's nice to get out of the house and see this," Ally Schlosser of Meadville said trailing after one of her sons, Kellan, age 3. "My husband (Andrew) is from Conneaut Lake and we come out every year."

The free Ice House Festival is hosted by the nonprofit Conneaut Lake Community Development Committee (CLCDC), which began it in 2016 at Ice House Park. The park itself was the site of annual ice harvesting activities at the lake more than a century ago.

"We're really thrilled with sponsors and community supporters we have and we're grateful to them," Eldridge said.

The all-volunteer CLCDC has been responsible for obtaining grants and funding for improvements at Fireman's Beach and in downtown Conneaut Lake. Funds generated from the festival are used to maintain those improvements.

Saturday's festival featured more than just ice art.

It also had an event tent at Conneaut Cellars Winery featuring live music, arts and crafts, and food and beverage options.

There also was a gingerbread house competition with houses are made by local church and nonprofit groups, plus special fundraising raffles for various prizes.

Keith Gushard can be reached at (814) 724-6370 or by email at kgushard@meadvilletribune.com.