Some American towns have a tendency to roll up the sidewalks when the so-called “off season” arrives on their doorstep. For some, when the snow flies, the crowd dies. Fortunately, we live in Michigan’s Great Southwest where our local communities fully embrace the fact that we are a four-season water wonderland along the shores of Lake Michigan and close to navigable rivers, streams and inland lakes. Nowhere is that more evident on a mid-winter weekend than it is in St. Joseph.
This weekend, the community’s event superstars at St. Joseph Today are welcoming Chili Lovers tonight and Beer Aficionados tomorrow and even all of that is just a warm up to the amazing line up of the 14th Annual Magical Ice Festival presented by Silver Beach Pizza one weekend away, running from February 2nd to the 4th.
Ice competitions, a breathtaking Fire & Ice display and a 5K Chocolate Walk/Run are just some of the morning-‘til-night reasons to bring family and friends downtown to this frosty, fun-filled weekend.
Amy Zapal, Executive Director at St. Joseph Today, sums it up when she says, “If you need a cure for the winter blues, this is it!” She adds that local hotels turn it into a great mid-winter getaway for families with children or a romantic pre-Valentine weekend for couples.
The winter festivities start next Friday evening with professional carvers creating their artistic creations from blocks of ice on downtown streets from 5:30-7:30pm. Visitors can also participate in the Snow Biz Scavenger Hunt (which runs through Sunday). An entry form listing all of the logo sculptures and contest details is available at the St. Joseph Today Welcome Center located 301 State Street in the central business district. Completing the hunt puts participants in the running for a $25 St. Joseph Today gift certificate good at more than 40 locations.
Immediately following the competition on Friday, the winter night will glimmer and glow at 7:30pm with an amazing tower of both Fire & Ice, sponsored by Fairfield Inn & Suites, at the intersection of State and Pleasant Streets. Then from 8pm until midnight, adults can enjoy the 8th Annual Fire and Ice Party at Shadowland Ballroom located at 333 Broad Street, below the bluff. The evening, for ages 18 and up, includes a cash bar, tropical martini ice luge, pizza from Silver Beach Pizza, live music from Joshua and Jeremy Sprague and more. A highlight of the evening will be the Aloha Chicago Fire Performers at 9:15 and 10:30pm. There is a $10 cover charge.
The fun continues Saturday with ice carving competitions from 8am to 4pm. At 9am, runners and walkers can melt a few pounds in the Fifth Annual Ice Fest 5K Chocolate Walk/Run presented by the Sunset Coast Striders. Money raised will benefit the Safe Shelter for Domestic Violence in St. Joseph. For more information about this chip-timed event and a complete list of sponsors, click the link below:
https://thedriven.net/event.race_reg/eid/9054013459/?&
The weekend’s ice carving competition slips into hyperdrive with the Sixth Annual Ice Wars from 4:30 to 6:00pm at State and Pleasant Streets. Professional carvers will battle it out in 15-minute bouts of ice carving frenzy. The crowd will determine who wins the “best sculpture” title.
Keeping with the magical theme, magician John Dudley will perform throughout the day on Saturday. Check with the Welcome Center or the St. Joe Today website for a list of times and locations. Plus guests of all ages are encouraged to take a magical photo on a throne of ice at the corner of Pleasant and State sponsored by area hotels.
Silver Beach Center, at 333 Broad Street, will also add to the entertainment with its annual scoff-the-cold Waikiki Weekend. They’ll crank up the heat and turn the carousel house into a tropical paradise, Thursday through Sunday. Visitors are encouraged to wear their favorite island clothing and flip flops. Watch for more details at silverbeachcarousel.com.
Zapal said downtown restaurants and wineries will serve up a variety of foods and beverages to keep festivalgoers warm as they do their ice sculpture tours. Many shops will also offer specials to entice downtown visitors indoors. She added that the John and Dede Howard Ice Arena at 2414 Willa Drive in the city, will offer open skating times and skate rentals throughout the weekend for more ice fun. “Of course,” she says, “The natural, wintry beauty of Lake Michigan and the St. Joseph River is magical, too.”
This year’s Interactive and Snow Biz sponsors include the following:
- Beaudoin Electrical Construction
- Boulevard Inn & Bistro
- Caffe Tosi
- Celebration! Cinema
- City of St. Joseph
- Edgewater Resources
- Fairfield Inn & Suites
- Honor Credit Union
- InCity Magazine
- Inn at Harbor Shores
- Jimmy John’s
- Kilwins Chocolate Fudge & Ice Cream Shop
- Lake Michigan College
- Lakeland Health
- MedExpress
- The Livery
- Schultz Roofing Supply
- Silver Beach Carousel
- State Farm – Jason Vadney
- The Whitcomb
- Vail Rubber
- 98.3 The Coast
- 97.5 Y-Country
- WSJM 94.9
- Additional sponsor support can be found at MagicalIceFest.com.
For a list of hotels and updates about this and upcoming events, visit stjoetoday.com/sleep, facebook.com/stjoetoday or call 269-985-1111.
St. Joseph Today, a membership-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is dedicated to developing and promoting events and businesses in St. Joseph and its surrounding communities. For more information about upcoming events, visit stjoetoday.com or facebook.com/stjoetoday.
