On Jan 26 and 27, the annual "Meltdown Winter Ice Festival" in Richmond will return, bringing professional ice carvers and artists to town to transform over 20,000 pounds of ice into artistic masterpieces for an experience that won't soon be forgotten.

During the festival, you will experience the "Meltdown Throwdown" as you watch two teams of skilled ice carvers battle it out on stage and create sculptures right before your eyes! 

There are six ice carvers making up the two teams for the meltdown throwdown and include Andrew Thistlethwaite, San Antonio; Aaric Kendall,

Argenta, Illinois; Dean DeMaris, Fate, Texas; 

Jeff Kaiser, Youngstown; Danny Bloss II

Niles, Michigan and Samantha (Sammy) Moore, Elkhart.

Stephanie Harrison of Stephanie Harrison Photography has been involved with and photographing the event for years and shared a little about the carves that will be competing.

"The newest and youngest carver we have is Sammy Moore from northern Indiana," Harrison said. "Ice carving is mostly men, so it's exciting to see her work! She does awesome! All of our carvers have competed in the World Ice Art Championship in Fairbanks. We also have an Olympic gold medalist in Ice carving! Most of them got their start as a chef, and ice carving is a part of that training. These guys took it to the next level!"

FAQS

How long do the ice sculptures last?

Depending on the weather, the ice sculptures can last a day to up to weeks after the festival.

Where can I eat during the Meltdown?

There are many restaurants, cafes, and bakeries located in Richmond. See Visit Richmond's listing of eateries to find a restaurant that appeals to you.

Food trucks will be at Jack Elstro Plaza on Friday from 6 pm to 10 pm and Saturday from noon to 10 pm.

How do they make the ice blocks?

A Clinebell machine makes the ice blocks used for carving. The machine freezes water slowly from the bottom up so that impurities and air bubbles aren't trapped in the ice. This creates crystal-clear blocks of ice that our carvers use to turn into works of art.

Does it cost money to look at the ice sculptures?

No, there is no fee to walk around and view the sculptures. You can take photos or videos of these magnificent works of art so long as you don't block traffic flow or impede others from enjoying the artwork themselves. There may be a charge for individual Meltdown events.

How did the carvers learn to carve these giant ice sculptures?

Most of the ice carvers learned to carve ice in culinary school! That means they're fantastic chefs, too!

Where can I park to see the Meltdown?

There are a number of public parking lots throughout the downtown area and the Richmond Depot District. You may park in any spots that are not marked reserved. In addition, most streets in the area are available for on-street parking. There are no parking meters in Richmond.

The city has developed an online map detailing the available places to park. Since most of the Meltdown Winter Ice Festival events take place in and around Jack Elstro Plaza, the closest parking lots are the North 6th Street Lot (The Legion Lot), the Downtown Parking Garage, and the South 6th Street Lot (The Elder-Beerman Lot).

"The Richmond Meltdown is my favorite week of the year, said Harrison. “It's a fantastic festival, and seeing the community outside enjoying the activities in January is awesome!"

For more information, visit www.richmondmeltdown.com