Come see the sculptures at the Plymouth Ice Festival this weekend.
A Plymouth native, Sam Walton has been attending the Plymouth Ice Festival since as far back as he can recall. The event, a celebration of the winter season in the downtown Plymouth area, is part of the very fabric of Western Wayne County, draws attendance from across the region and attention nationally.
Did you know the Plymouth Ice Festival is a non-profit event that supports the awareness of ice sculpture as an art form and financially contributes to ice clubs at local colleges?
Walton is now executive director of the festival, helping to make the event just as meaningful to future generations as it has always been to him.
He took time out this week to chat with us at ParagonLife and talk about all it means to him and just what we can look forward to at this year’s event:
ParagonLife: What spurred the festival’s official name change and how is it being received so far?
Sam Walton: The name actually changed last year. We wanted to represent what the event has become – the sculptures are still the cornerstone of the weekend, but we are really working to turn the event into a winter festival! Not to mention, nobody could remember the “official” name of the event – “Plymouth Community International Ice Sculpture Spectacular”. Whew!!! People seem to love the new name – it is what everyone calls it and is a very fitting description of what the event is and where it is headed!
PL: What are the newest additions to the festival this year, events or additions that visitors will not want to miss? (Dueling chainsaws? A scavenger hunt?)
SW: You’ve nailed two of the big ones – The Dueling Chainsaws Speed Carving Show will be AMAZING on Saturday at 7p.m.! The Opening Ceremonies on Friday at 7 p.m. are not to be missed. We have live music on the streets of downtown on Saturday and Sunday, the Otsego Club RailJam on Ann Arbor Trail. Winter sports demonstrations from Sun and Snow sports. It’s gonna be an awesome time!
PL: What goes into the preparation for the Plymouth Ice Festival?
SW: The planning, conceptualization and design is a year-around job. We spend between 5 and 10 hours per week in the “off-season” (read: summer) working on things. We start to really ramp up in October and stay on the event full time through the end of January.
The carvers arrive on site starting Monday of the event week and continue to carve through the weekend. Tons of things to do, but it is a great time – and it always feels good to get out of the house!
PL: How much of a concern is the weather? Have there been years when warm temperatures have put a damper on the event?
SW: Weather is always a concern – but not in the typical ways. We don’t mind bitter cold, but we do get a bit scared when it gets warm (for the obvious reasons) and sunny. The sunshine super-heats the surface of the ice and causes crystallization – which hurts the appearance of the sculptures.
PL: This event is beloved across metro Detroit but also known nationally – what is it about the Plymouth Ice Festival that truly resonates with those who visit year after year? How long has it been going on?
SW: We are entering our 29th year this year. The event is a mainstay of the Midwest and a big reason that Plymouth is on the map. The staying power and sustainability of the event have allowed it to reach national attention. Many events fizzle after 4 or 5 years and just run out of steam. With many great people, producers, supporters and volunteers over the years, the event is stronger than ever!
The Plymouth Ice Festival begins today at 3 p.m. and runs until Sunday. Hours are 3-11 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 22 and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 23 in downtown Plymouth. Check out the website for details on all the events and activities. The sculpture garden is open at all times.
Do you have memories to share about the Plymouth Ice Festival? Tell us about them. Leave a comment below.
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