Wisconsin's Must-See Ice Sculpture Hotspots

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Eric, Ana, and Jake dive into ice in this episode - well, not INTO ice but into the topic of the sculptures people make with ice around Wisconsin in wintertime. These are icy creations you can see, and sometimes even interact with.
Many are at festivals. Examples include the Knickerbocker Festival in Lake Mills, named after a company that harvested ice from the city’s own Rock Lake. They offer plenty of fun activities, including ice sculpting demonstrations throughout the downtown area and an ice bar with Tyranena Brewing Company, which was named after the lake’s original name. Other fun activities like ice golfing, ice skating, and an activity named “Ididherdad” which you’ll just have to hear about in the episode. This year, it takes place February 3-4, 2024.
Lake Geneva offers similar fun from January 30-February 4 with their classic Winterfest and US National Snow Sculpting Competition, which also features ice sculptures meticulously crafted and presented at locations throughout the city’s downtown. You can also enjoy Winter Realms at Geneva National in the Lake Geneva area, which opens in January and will continue as long as the weather allows. Winter Realms is an update of the annual Ice Castles event, featuring sleigh rides, an ice volcano, igloos, tubing activities, mesmerizing ice sculptures, and ice slides. Meander among snow caverns, tunnels and an ice throne as you experience a world of winter magic.
More ice-filled events kicking off in January include the massive Waukesha Jan-Boree, a 10-day festival encompassing activities across the city from January 19-28. Ice-related activities include sculpting demos and completed works, ice skating, ice dancing, ice fishing clinics, and more. More sculptures and crafted ice art can be found nearby at events like New Berlin’s Winterfest January 6th and Dela-FREEZE in Delafield January 13th with live ice carvings taking place throughout the day.
At the other end of the state, late January features the Lake Superior Ice Festival in Superior the weekend of January 26th & 27th, which not only has ice carving and sculptures but an ice throne you can sit on! Just not for too long…
That weekend kicks off Friday the 25th with the Winterfest Ice Carving Competition in Green Bay, which pins carvers against each other to create works of art that are proudly displayed in the Broadway District for as long as the weather allows. And yes, they have an ice throne, too!
February festivals featuring ice carvings and sculptures include the Kenosha Snow Daze Festival February 4th, which includes tons of demonstrations; Winterfest in Cedarburg February 16-17, where the ice sculpting is a contest; and Appleton’s Avenue of Ice, which debuts the 3rd weekend in February every year with over 30 unique ice sculptures displayed in front of the unique boutiques, specialty shops and restaurants.
Other sites for ice sculptures include Roger Nelson’s Ice Formations, which is a place in Maiden Rock where the Rush River rushes towards the Mississippi and pushes enough water and ice up strategically placed wood and other materials to freeze on them and create some unique looks people are welcome to come and see. They have a Facebook page with photos and regular updates, as Mother Nature basically makes these at random.
One fantastic annual creation is in Eagle River: the Ice Castle. The beautiful monument to the city that heads up the World’s Largest Chain of Interconnected Freshwater Lakes and Snowmobile Capital of the World is perched at the western edge of the city’s downtown right where all the main roads converge. It dates back to 1933 and began with only 250 blocks of ice; today it utilizes over 3,000 blocks and rises over 20 feet, incorporating obelisks and colored flood lights that bring illumination all night long. The Ice Castle, made from foot-thick blocks of ice harvested from nearby lakes and rivers, generally rises around New Year’s and stays as long as weather allows. It’s a staple of Eagle River’s winters almost every year and a beautiful sculpture creation done by volunteers.
Companies like designed by Krystal Kleer Ice Sculptures, LLC and Art Below Zero often create the ice sculptures for events, but many establishments hire companies and artists like these to create ice bars for them that patrons love to frequent whilst imbibing outdoors in the cold months. Ice Bars get set up in places like Titletown District establishments in Green Bay, Belair Cantina at The Corners of Brookfield in the Town of Brookfield, Third Ward and the Milwaukee Public Market in Milwaukee, at the Baker House during Winterfest in Lake Geneva, and many more spots around the state. Look forward to the big freeze and enjoy these icy works of art this winter in Wisconsin!

Knickerbocker Ice Festival in Lake Mills info: https://enjoyjeffersoncounty.com/events/lake-mills-knickerbocker-ice-festival/

Winterfest/US National Snow Sculpting Competition in Lake Geneva info: https://www.visitlakegeneva.com/winterfest/

Winter Realms at Geneva National: https://www.winterrealms.com/winter-realms-lake-geneva/

Cedarburg Winterfest: https://www.cedarburgfestival.org/winterfest

New Berlin Winterfest: https://www.newberlinwi.gov/1064/Winterfest

Kenosha Snow Daze: https://www.visitkenosha.com/event/snow-daze-festival/461/

Lake Superior Ice Festival: https://lakesuperioricefestival.com/

Green Bay Winterfest: https://downtowngreenbay.com/explore/broadway-events/winterfestonbroadway

DelaFREEZE: https://delafieldchamber.com/delafreeze

Waukesha JanBoree: https://www.janboree.org/

Rush River Ice Sculptures Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/people/Rush-River-Ice-Sculptures/100070987761204/

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