Ice attractions eye January opening dates as cold weather returns
ST. PAUL, Minn. — After a warm December, Ice Castles will open at the state fairgrounds on Friday, giving Minnesotans a chance to finally embrace the cold.
Last year, the Ice Castles were in Maple Grove, but record warmth prompted organizers to close the attraction after just eight days.
Ice artisans have been working to prepare sculptures, snow caverns and a new "ice river," organizers say.
The Ice Castles are roughly one acre in size and 250-tons of ice is used to bring it to life. Organizers grow about 5,000-12,000 icicles which are harvested by hand to create the frozen winter wonderland.
Guests can also enjoy a state fair staple — the pronto pup — along with cocktails at the ice bar.
"The natural beauty of the fairgrounds' tree-lined landscapes combines perfectly with the wonder of our frozen creations, creating a truly magical destination to experience," organizers said.
The fairgrounds won't be the only place to enjoy icy creations. Construction is underway at the Ice Palace in Delano, which will officially open on Jan. 11. The palace, which boasts tunnels and ice slides, is more than 90,000 square feet in size. It will feature fire dancers, ice princesses along with food and beverages.
"We're just trying to fix the ice palace and get everything recovered," said Dylan Hinson, an ice maker at The Ice Palace in Delano. "We had a couple walls collapse."
The Ice Palace hopes to remain open through the end of February, barring warm temperatures.
"I know winter can be kind of depressing for people, and you know, that's why we're here. We're just excited to share something happy and magical for people," said Hinson.
Most days in December saw above-average warmth, but Minnesota is about to be hit with a blast of arctic air. High temperatures are expected to drop into the teens by the end of the week, and plummet to subzero temperatures next week.
