York Ice Festival

York’s Ice Trail  is set to welcome thousands of visitors  over the first weekend in February – Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd.   Each year the festival has grown in popularity.

Has Santa travelled specially for the Ice Festival?

In 2019, when the festival was moved from before Christmas to Early February, even the organisers were amazed by the numbers flocking into the city centre to see the intricate ice carvings.

For 2020 the theme will be frosty, fantastical, fairy-tale fun with fifty ice carvings strategically sited within the city walls  in the most unexpected places. As well as the ice sculptures, there will be opportunities for adults and children alike to have a go on the interactive carving wall – not quite the same as building a snow man, but just as chilly!

Glistening ice angel at night

Glacial Art  has been  the driving force creating such fantastic displays. Their hardworking team  makes it all possible. Last year their master craftsman, Big Mat, carved forty five of the fifty sculptures!  Quite a feat. Apparently, he’d been working on them for several months.

Children admire the icy statue

Ten tonnes of ice, in all their wonderful shapes and forms, will need to be transported by a fleet of vans into the city in the early hours of  Saturday 1st. Then the team will work through what remains of the night to ensure these beautiful ice statues will look their best for the delight of York’s visitors and residents.  To read more of their work visit their web pages https://www.glacialart.com/legendary-return-to-the-york-ice-trail/

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