FAIRBANKS, Alaska (KTUU/KTVF) - The World Ice Art Championships — or Ice Alaska — has extended its operations into April this year, a rare opportunity provided by an unusually cold winter in Fairbanks.
While things are heating up in Interior Alaska, a long-lasting deep freeze has made for near prime conditions for ice sculpting.
It’s created a rare occasion for the board of Ice Alaska to extend operations into the first week of April, according to Calah Grimes, an administrative assistant for Ice Alaska.
“Last year we were able to do a reopening of the forest because the trees protected the ice there, even though it was extremely warm. But I do not believe that we’ve really reopened the entire park ever,” Grimes said. “This is the first year that we’ve been able to keep the kids park open.”
While the cold helped keep the ice solid, it also meant fewer visitors.
“We wanted people to have a longer chance to come see [the sculptures],” Grimes explained.
Ice Alaska will now stay open until April 5. With the extension going into the Easter Holiday, Ice Alaska also plans to have an Easter egg hunt at 3 p.m. on Sunday, the last day.
Last on the agenda for Ice Alaska is tear down. That process usually occurs at this time but is now lacking volunteers to help with the process.
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