A cool tradition: 32nd Medina Ice Fest back with largest carving yet

For 32 years, the Medina Ice Festival has provided residents and visitors of the city with an opportunity to see unique ice sculptures, observe ice carving competitions and patronize local stores and restaurants on Public Square. From Feb. 20-23, the annual winter tradition will continue with more opportunities to visit the square and support Medina’s small businesses.

Event coordinator Peggy Costic of Elegant Ice Creations in Broadview Heights said the festival was the brainchild of two former owners of businesses on the square.

“One was from the Plymouth, Michigan, area, and they have a large event there as well,” she explained. “Medina Square was not, at that time, doing well, and these two gentlemen decided that they needed to bring people to the square. They needed to draw them in.”

With that goal in mind, the two business owners approached representatives of the Medina Chamber of Commerce with the idea of the ice festival, and the yearly tradition was created.

The events typically held at the Ice Festival each year will continue. Speed carving competitions will take place starting at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 20, with the Fire and Ice Tower on display at 7 p.m. The latter consists of a tower of ice ignited from the inside, with a performance by fire dancers as the tower slowly melts.

Ice carving contests will continue during the weekend, with individual competitions taking place from noon-5 p.m. Feb. 21 and team competitions being held from noon-5 p.m. Feb. 22.

Throughout the four-day period, visitors will also have the opportunity to see various ice sculptures sponsored by local businesses and organizations in the Medina area. This year, 115 sponsors will have sculptures present throughout Medina’s historic district, with some sponsors having two carvings representing their organizations.

Among all the unique ice creations placed throughout the square, one will stand out from the rest – a statue so special Costic is keeping it a secret from the public until the festival.

“It’s going to be the largest ice carving that the square has ever seen,” she said, explaining that scaffolding and a forklift will need to be rented to place it on the square.

On average, Costic explained, 250 blocks of ice are used to create the statues for the Ice Festival.

“The individual sponsors, their carvings are all made right here in-house on the other side of the shop,” she said. “The really large ones will all be done on the square Friday.”

Costic said she has seen up to 30,000 people attend the Medina Ice Festival in past years, depending on the weather. She said if temperatures remain as cold as they have been so far this winter, the carvings may be left up on the square longer than usual.

“As long as it’s going to be cold, they’re going to let them stay up at least the week after,” she said.

The Medina Ice Festival is free to the public, and plenty of parking areas will be available in Medina’s historic district. Local businesses on the square will also be open for longer hours during this time, as the annual event drives traffic to local establishments.

“It is a form of art,” Costic said. “We’re going to have carvers from all over creating these. We’ve hired many, many carvers to pull this event together and make it all happen.”

More information on the Medina Ice Festival can be found at elegantice.com and mainstreetmedina.com.