Cripple Creek Ice Carving Festival makes a return after 2

CRIPPLE CREEK, Colo. (KRDO) -- The 14th annual ice festival and carving competition kicked off Saturday in the mountain town of Cripple Creek. It's one of the largest ice carving events in the country, and known worldwide.

The sculptures are all themed and staged along Bennett Avenue, along with small business vendors and activities.

"We're carving the Colorado state animals," ice sculptor Stan Kolonkl said. "We've done a big horn sheep already. We're gonna do a stegosaurus, a butterfly, cut throat trout, painted turtle, and a lark."

The competition consists of 5 teams, with 3-4 members per team.

Sculptors from across the country come to this competition every year to show off their artistry.

Ice sculptor with team 'The Ice Farm' Stan Kolonkl is a former chef turned ice sculptor. He's been ice carving for 30 years and traveled from upstate New York to compete. This is Stan's second time to this competition in Cripple Creek. He says he loves Colorado.

"Initially with ice carving I learned in culinary school," Kolonkl said. "I saw my first ice carving and got hooked. The real draw, I went to a competition in Ottowa, Canada and saw people from all over the world doing crazy stuff and I was hooked."

The festival is a huge economic driver for the local community, small businesses, and tourism in the Cripple Creek area. On Saturday alone, close to 6,000 people came out to see the sculptures.

"I own an ice carving company, we're a year long business," Kolonkl said. "I get to do what I love for work. Ice art for me is awesome, it's fast, it's fun. The beauty of it for me is it's a one time thing. For a wedding, for a party, specially made. We make it, it melts, it goes back to mother earth so it's fully recyclable and we can do it all over."

This year is especially exciting because the festival has been on a 2-year hiatus after being cancelled due to the pandemic.

Ice sculptor Trace Oconnor with team 'The Wompa Ice Creatures' is local from Fort Collins. This is his 3rd year at the Cripple Creek competition.

"It's my favorite event," Oconnor said. "It's cool to be here in historic Cripple Creek and see all the various old school elements and history. The detail here on some of the sculptures in Cripple Creek is so amazing. You can carve everything so crisp and clean and it's crystal clear when you're done. It's very gratifying."

Trace said the weather has been ideal so far this year for ice carving.

"This year's been great," Oconnor said. "We've had near perfect temperatures with highs in the middle of the day right around freezing so it's been great."

Everyone who comes through is asked to vote to judge the ice carvings for a $5,000 prize.

"The crowd's been great, very positive," Oconnor said. "Everybody wants to know how much the ice blocks weigh, which is just over 300 pounds. They're 10 inches by 20 inches by 40 inches."

The festival brings artists of all different backgrounds out to compete, such as Canon City local Kenneth, who has been a wood carver for over 20 years.

"I wanted to try something new," ice sculptor Kenneth Rathbun said with team 'The Bear Spot.'" I'm a wood carver and I was invited to come up here and carve ice. I thought it would be a fun time."

If you can't make it out this weekend, it goes until Feb. 26 at noon when the winners will be announced.

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