Ice carving competition brings artists to Alaska

Published on March 4th, 2010

By ASSOCIATED PRESS

Some 28 ice carvers from around the nation are in Fairbanks for the U.S. National Ice Carving Championship.

Ice Alaska opened its 21st annual Ice Park on Feb. 20. The carvers worked on their artwork during a 24-hour period that ended the next day, with more ice carving competitions scheduled in the coming weeks.

In addition to the elaborate carvings, the event, which runs through March 28, features a skating rink, an ice-block maze and sledding chutes.

"We come here about twice a week until it closes down," said Mike Spony, who bought a season pass with his wife, Becky. On Feb. 21, their children, Robby, 7, and his sister, Evelyn, 4, were smoothing out the slick slide runs with dozens of other kids.

"This is their favorite part," Spony said. "I like watching the kids have fun."

The national carving competition is sponsored by the National Ice Carving Association and the NICA Fairbanks U.S. Nationals Qualifier and International Open.

"This is the perfect place for artists to come up here and not worry about the weather too much," said NICA vice president Chad Hartson of Toledo, Ohio. "We're hoping this will be an annual competition here."

The carvers can look forward to high temperatures in the mid-teens and lows below zero this week, according to the National Weather Service.

The Ice Park is home of the BP World Ice Art Championships, which began last week.