For the past 24 years Fairbanks has hosted the world's largest annual ice competition. As many as 100 ice artists come from all over the world to compete and create some amazing and fun ice sculptures.
A welcome bear at the entrance to the ice park.
Another welcome bear inside the park.
I'm not exactly sure what is riding this bear.
This is one example of a fun ice sculpture. They had at least a couple dozen of these animal shaped ice cups that you can sit in and have someone else spin you around. There are a ton of other fun things for kids of all ages too.
I'm was spun around in a bear and Andrew was spun around in a fish! He actually wasn't going to do it until he saw the fish! :)
A rocking horse.
This brings a new meaning to ice truckers.
Slides for little kids...
...and slides for bigger kids.
Ice tunnels for kids to crawl through.
A huge ice maze for everybody!
Inside the ice maze.
For me and my niece, Kennedy, a nice ice turtle.
Ice artists can work alone or in teams, and they have either 60 or 132 hours to complete their creations. There are a few divisions which include a single block competition, and multi-block competition, and a youth competition. The youth competitors are given a single ice block measuring 3' x 5' x 4' and weighing approximately 3,600 lbs. The single block competitors are given one block measuring 5' x 8' x 3' and weighing ~7,800 lbs., and the multi-block competitors are given 10 blocks measuring 4' x 6' x 3'. They use tools ranging from chainsaws to wood carving tools.
This grizzly bear in attack mode won an award in the multi-block competition.
I know it's hard to see the detail in these photos with such clear ice but it was incredible!
On the rear of the grizzly bear was a mosquito also in attack mode.
This was a scene with geese coming out of trees and one swan or goose coming out of a pond below.
Downhill skiers.
Paddlers in a boat under a huge crashing wave.
The boat from above.
Abstract art.
A duck in a carriage.
A mythical character.
A beautiful eagle swooping down for a squirrel (pictured below).
Squirrel fleeing from the eagle.
Dragon
Mountain goats on a rocky cliff.
Samurai missing his sword. The warm afternoon sun had caused a few sculptures to lose pieces.
Dragon slayer scene.
This was the first place winner of the multi-block competition.
An ice cabin.
Complete with ice furniture.
We got there just after the sun had set, and a few minutes before we left they began tuning on all the colored lights.
Nice salmon sculpture.
Ice castle
Train
Napping on an ice bench :)
Phone booth
Always time for a phone call!
Some really imaginative work! Those cups are a great idea.
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