The 2016 World Ice Art Championships Feature Giant Ice Sculptures
Fairbanks, Alaska (PRWEB) November 13, 2015 -- Fairbanks is the home of the largest ice sculpting competition in the world. Held annually since 1988, the World Ice Art Championships has grown to a month-long event featuring more than 90 teams from around the world. Approximately 45,000 visitors come to the ice art park to watch sculptors work around the clock to turn solid blocks of ice into art. The theme for the 27th Annual World Ice Art Championships is “Drive on.”
Sculptors at the World Ice Art Championships use over four million pounds of "Arctic Diamond" ice which is harvested from a large pond nearby. Arctic Diamond ice freezes quickly and thickly in Alaska’s Interior and is clear enough to read a newspaper through a four-foot ice block.The blocks measure 3’ x 8’ x 5’ and weigh four to five tons. The finished sculptures in the MultiBlock Classic contest can weigh as much as 20 tons and be up to 25 feet tall. Competitions will include the Single Block Classic, the Multi-Block Classic, the Amateur Open for novices to try out their skills and the Youth Classic for high school students.
Near the pond there is a large designated Kid’s Park which is like any children's playground, only it is constructed entirely from ice. There are slides and rides for all ages, mazes and life-sized sculptures of animals, and characters to touch and climb on. There is also an “ice stage” for various performances.
Held at the George Horner Ice Park at 3050 Phillips Field Road in Fairbanks, Alaska, the park will be open daily 10 a.m.-10 p.m., February 29 through March 27, 2016.
To learn more about the World Ice Art Championships go to http://www.icealaska.com. For more information on Fairbanks, request a free copy of the Fairbanks Visitors Guide and Winter Guide from Explore Fairbanks at 1-800-327-5774 or (907) 456-5774 or by writing to 101 Dunkel Street, Suite 111, Fairbanks, Alaska 99701. You can also order or view the guides online, get information about the Aurora Borealis and see our full schedule of winter events and activities online at http://www.explorefairbanks.com.
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About Explore Fairbanks
Explore Fairbanks is a non-profit marketing organization whose mission is to be an economic driver in the Fairbanks region by marketing to potential visitors and optimizing the visitor experience. Explore Fairbanks markets Fairbanks as a year-round destination by promoting local events, attractions and activities to independent travelers, group tour operators, travel agents, meeting planners and the media. Find out more at explorefairbanks.com.
Amy Geiger, Explore Fairbanks, http://www.explorefairbanks.com, +1 907-459-3775, [email protected]
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