Hamilton, Ohio, City of Sculpture, Inc.

One High Street, PO Box 545

Hamilton! OH  45012

(513) 895-3934

hamiltonohiocityofsculpture@fuse.net

www.cityofsculpture.org

 

MEDIA RELEASE  For Immediate Release:  January 5, 2005


IceFest 2005 “Circus in Ice”

See an Olympic Ice Sculptor Qualifying Event!

 

Friday and Saturday, January 21-22, 2005

Downtown Hamilton, Ohio

 

Nearly 115 Ice Sculptures – Over 200 Blocks - 40 Tons of Ice to be on Display!

Hamilton, Ohio, City of Sculpture, Inc. presents its 4th annual IceFest, which takes place at the Butler County Courthouse and Journal Squares in downtown Hamilton on Friday, January 21 and Saturday, January 22, 2005. IceFest again creates an exciting schedule of activities for everyone with this year's theme, "Circus in Ice". IceFest 2005 has been chosen as a Cultural Olympic Ice Sculptor Qualifying Event. Witness ice carvers competing to become a member of the 2006 United States Ice Sculptor Team! The purpose of IceFest is to provide a free and fun family-oriented winter-event that attracts visitors and local residents while also highlighting the many sculptures located in Hamilton, Ohio, City of Sculpture. According to Debra Fescina Rulon, of the Greater Hamilton Convention & Visitors Bureau, “Due to the increased success of IceFest each year, it is anticipated that there will be more than 20,000 attendees to this event in 2005. In our Midwest Ohio winter, IceFest has fared quite well both during the day and at night. Families come dressed for winter in coats, scarves, hats and gloves to view this spectacular affair.”

 

o       IceFest is a Cultural Olympic Ice Sculptor Qualifying Event!

o       “Circus In Ice” Theme offers many BIG TOP Opportunities

o       Friday Evening Spectacular includes “Lions Den” and Technicolor Ice Walk

o       Saturday Activities include Ice Carving Competition, Three Ring Circus Children’s Area, Cannonball Run Sled Race, Amateur Photo Contest, Soap Sculpture, and Big Top Tent

o       Friday and Saturday Schedule of Activities

o       IceFest is presented by Hamilton, Ohio, City of Sculpture, Inc.

 

IceFest is a Cultural Olympic Ice Sculptor Qualifying Event!

Hamilton, Ohio, City of Sculpture, Inc. presents the 2006 Winter Olympics Ice Carving Pre-Qualifier competition. On Saturday, January 22, an ice sculpture carving competition sponsored by Ohio Casualty Foundation, Inc. highlights the 2-day event. Up to fifteen individual ice carvers will compete for a chance to be one of four American ice carvers representing the United States at the 2006 Winter Cultural Olympics in Italy.  Visitors will witness Ice Carvers competing for a spot on the 4-member 2006 United States Ice Sculptor Team.  In addition, ice carvers will contend for prize money that is awarded each year.  Professional NICA (National Ice Carvers Association) ice sculptors from around the nation, France, Japan, and Canada have previously competed in Hamilton’s IceFest.  Judicial awards will be announced for competitive ice sculptors during a special Circus Finale to be held on Saturday evening beginning at 5 PM at The Hamiltonian Hotel, One Riverfront Plaza. While the Circus Finale is free, The Hamiltonian Hotel will offer a special $10 food ticket and a cash bar.

 

This is a NICA sanctioned event where visitors witness Ice Carvers competing for a spot on the 4-member 2006 United States Ice Sculptor Team. The National Ice Carving Association (NICA) is the only organization in the U.S. that is devoted solely to promoting the art of ice sculpture across the country and individual ice carvers competing for a chance to be one of four American ice carvers representing the United States at the 2006 around the world. With nearly 500 members, NICA sanctions and organizes ice-carving competitions around North America. Providing standardized guidelines for judging the quality of ice sculptures in competition, NICA has given the art focus and direction. Through feedback from and interaction with other ice carvers, NICA carvers have become some of the best in the world.

 

2005 IceFest “Circus in Ice” offers many BIG TOP Opportunities

Each year, IceFest is given a theme by committee members so that carved ice on display tie together through a chosen highlighted idea. Previous themes have included “The Ohio Bicentennial” and “Around the World in Ice”. The 2005 IceFest theme “Circus in Ice” has allowed many Big Top opportunities to appear in ice at the downtown Hamilton event. This year’s special highlights include magnificent circus related sculptures brought about by corporate sponsors of IceFest. Kokosing, the company constructing the new High Main Street Bridge in downtown Hamilton, is sponsoring a 10-block ice sculpture bridge which holds a 2-block train engine with eight 1-block circus cars each sponsored by individual businesses. Aurgroup Financial Credit Union has sponsored a 15-block circus carousel beautifully carved with individual horses and ponies with poles running through them from top to bottom … like a real merry-go-round. Area residents and businesses purchased the 150 blocks of ice used to create the Big Top Wall of Ice, a colossal feature of IceFest. Imagine a Monkey juggling bananas and a peacock with full plumage each carved from a block of ice. Or see an ice sculpture of a bear balancing on all 4’s.  Other sculptures will include a ringmaster, a giant bathtub with a seal and its ball inside, skating penguins, LOTS OF CLOWNS, and much more!!! 


Nearly 115 Ice Sculptures – Over 200 Blocks - 40 Tons of Ice to be on Display!

(each block of ice measures 44” height x 20” length x 10” wide … 350 lb)

A Sample of 2005 "Circus in Ice" Sculptures …

15-Block Carousel

10-Block Circus Train on a 10-Block Bridge

 
10-Block Lion Jumping through Hoop

4-Block Elephant

4-Block and 2-Block Strongmen

4-Block Bathtub with Seal & Ball

4-Block Tiger

4-Block Clown … LOTS OF CLOWNS!!!

6-Block Ollie the Owl

4-Block Throne

2 Block Show Wagon

2-Block Clown Face and Clown Balancing Books … LOTS OF LOWNS!!!

2-Block Monkey

2-Block Balloon

2-Block Elephant

2-Block Show Wagon

2-Block Giraffe

2-Block Ringmaster

2-Block Polar Bear

2-Block Magician

2 Block Cannon with Feet Sticking Out

2-Block Juggler

2-Block Star and

2-Block Snowflake

2-Block Cannon with Feet

2-Block Hand Holding Balloons

2-Block and 1-Block Lions

3 Skating Penguins

Clown Shoe with Frozen Flowers … LOTS OF CLOWNS!!!

Horse Head with Plum

Teddy Bear

Fun Car and Funhouse Mirror

Dancing Bear

Monkey

Seal

Peacock

Dancing Dog with Skirt

Hot Air Balloon

Eagle on a Flag

Carousel Horse

Unicycle

Jeff Stahl, proprietor of Artic Diamond, Inc., is the mastermind behind the Hamilton, OH IceFest event. Artic Diamond is Southern OH's premier ice sculpting company, with  28+ years of experience and acts as creator for the many unique ice sculptures found at each year’s IceFest.

www.articdiamond.com

 

 

Friday Evening Spectacular includes “Lions Den” and Technicolor Ice Walk

 

First Financial Capital Advisors Legacy Funds Group Friday Evening Spectacular

Fire and Ice “Lions Den” Celebration Launches Friday Evening Schedule
You won’t want to miss IceFest 2005’s Circus kick off, Friday evening, January 21 from 6:30-11:30 PM at The Hamiltonian Hotel, One Riverfront Plaza.  Join the Olympic-caliber ice carvers, the IceFest committee, sponsors and all your friends at this wild and wacky 3-ring circus event!  Follow the lights in the sky and enter the tent to the Fire and Ice “Lion’s Den” circus. The evening features our clever ringmaster and raffle, food, fun, frivolity, magic and mayhem! Top the night off with a walk to High Street to see the spectacular light-enhanced ice sculptures, which are sponsored by local businesses. Tickets are $20 and available at The Hamiltonian Hotel, the City of Sculpture office, or by calling 513-895-3934.


“Technicolor Ice Walk” is Main Event on Friday Evening
Another main attraction on Friday evening, which is free and open to all, is the “Technicolor Ice Walk” at Butler County Courthouse Square and other areas in downtown Hamilton! Technicolor Ice Walk showcases the ice sculptures that are sponsored by area businesses, organizations and individuals. Sculptures are brilliantly illuminated with colored lights, beginning at 8 PM.  Approximately 115 ice sculptures - over 200 blocks - 40 tons of ice will be on display in 2005! Don’t miss the dazzling Technicolor Ice Walk, which has grown in popularity over the years as more and more people brave the cold weather at night to see this beautiful scenic view of ice.


Saturday Activities include Ice Carving Competition Three Ring Circus Children’s Area, Cannonball Run Sled Race, Amateur Photo Contest, Soap Sculpture, and Big Top Tent

 

Journal News/US Bank Three Ring Circus Children’s Area
In addition the Ice Carving Competition scheduled on Saturday from 10AM-3PM, children’s activities during IceFest 2005 include many family-fun activities at the Journal News/US Bank Three Ring Circus Children’s Area. Here you will find various activities occurring throughout the day. Play ring toss with an Ice Sculpture Elephant, throw snowballs through an ice sculpture, or have fun with miniature golf at Clown Alley Putt-Putt. See yourself in the funhouse mirror made of ice or put on ice skates to enjoy the Fort Hamilton Healthcare Ice Skating Rink.  Take photos on a royal throne, with Patrick the Starfish from Sponge Bob, or with Officer Bob and his horse.  Mascot Frosty the Snowman attends and distributes treats for all ages. Plus, in this area you will discover clowns, jugglers, and men walking on stilts.


Cannonball Run Sled Race

Teams consisting of 6 "dogs" -4 human pullers and 2 riders- travel in creative sleds through a course set in downtown Hamilton. Each team makes several mandatory stops and perform certain tasks at each stop such as eating a Klondike bar, drinking hot chocolate, or taking a rest stop that does not begin till all "dogs" are still. The 2005 Sled Race is scheduled for Saturday at 4 PM on Court Street between Monument and Third Streets.  Karen Frazier, who is a member of a 6-member family team, states, “We are a close-knit family who gets together at least once a month. We felt that the IceFest Cannonball Run Sled Race would be great family fun”. Woody Fitton of First Financial Bank adds, “Our team had a great time last year, so we’re really gearing up for this year’s race.  We’ve had to turn folks away who wanted to join our team since every 2004 racer has enthusiastically returned for the 2005 race. Last year we bundled up to beat the cold, and we were awarded Best Team Spirit. This year, we plan to win and challenge other teams to beat us.” Awards issued for the race include 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place along with Most Creative Sled, Best Dressed Team and more!  For more information on the Sled Race, please contact Dave Schirmer (513) 863-1145. To register, visit www.cityofsculpture.org.


Amateur Photo Contest
To further involve residents and visitors, an Amateur Photo Contest is an opportunity for amateur photographers of any age to submit photos of IceFest into an adjudicated event. All entries are to be of the IceFest sculptures, sculptors or any activities taking place during IceFest. Cash prizes totaling $500 are offered. A special best black and white photo of show is awarded in memory of Dr. Edward Kezur, in recognition of his dedication, expertise and support of photography as an art form. Winning photos are exhibited in downtown Hamilton for approximately one month after the winners are chosen. According to contest Chairs, Bill Hartford and John Moser, “In 2004, we had 73 entries from all over the tri-state. We are looking forward to receiving entries of the outstanding quality and artistic ability that we have received in the past.” All winning photos are posted to the City of Sculpture website. Entry forms with rules for the competition will be available through January 22 at Fitton Center, 101 South Monument Avenue, at photo-processing retail stores in the Hamilton-Fairfield area, and via www.cityofsculpture.org.  For more information, contact Bill Hartford at 513-863-3385.

Soap Sculpture Competition Open to 8th or 9th Grade Students
This competition, now in its 4th year is open to any Hamilton 8th or 9th grade student and has continued to grow as more students participate and many art educators are using the soap sculpture as an element of curriculum. This year soap was distributed for 480 students at area schools including Badin, Garfield, Hamilton Freshman School, Queen of Peace, St. Ann’s, St. Joseph, St. Peter in Chains, and Wilson. With the 2005-highlighted category of “Circus in Ice", division winning soap sculptures will be on display at Key Bank on High Street for one week before, one week after, and during IceFest weekend. Awards ceremony will take place at noon on Saturday, January 22, at the Butler County Courthouse Gazebo. In addition to the regular awards, each student receives a certificate of participation. Contact Kathie Hunter at 513-896-9962 or soapcarvers@aol.com

 

Fifth Third Bank/Downtown Hamilton SID Big Top Tent

This year’s IceFest offers a new food and warming tent sponsored by Fifth Third Bank/Downtown Hamilton SID where local restaurants and organizations including Affairs/Parachute, Boston Butz, Donato’s Pizza, El Mariachi, Flick Family Cotton Candy, The Homestead Restaurant, Knights of Columbus, The Presbyterian Church, and Texas Roadhouse will offer hot food and circus items such as hot dogs, pizza, burgers, pulled pork sandwiches, roast beef, popcorn, peanuts, cracker jacks, and cotton candy. Local downtown restaurants including Alexander’s Grille, Cappuccino Depot, Cornerstone Café, Cozy Café, Fat Wally’s, and McDonald’s will also be open on Friday evening for the Technicolor Ice Walk and Saturday during IceFest activities. According to Tim Naab, chair of the Big Top Tent, “One downtown restaurateur tells me that he is looking forward to IceFest 2005 since this is one of his busiest days of the year. This statement emphasizes the economic impact of IceFest to the Hamilton community.”

 

Friday and Saturday Schedule of Activities

Trudy Marcum, chair of IceFest announces, ”Come one, come all. Witness ice sculptors from around the world as they compete for top prize.  See the more than 100 “Circus in Ice” sculptures brilliantly lit up at night or during the day on locations along High Street and around Butler County Courthouse Square. Or simply join the fun through participating in other IceFest 2005 activities.”

  • Technicolor Ice Walk—Friday & Saturday at 8PM
  • First Financial Capital Advisors Legacy Funds Group Fire & Ice “Lion’s Den” Ticketed Gala—Friday 6:30-11:30PM
  • Ohio Casualty Foundation, Inc. Ice Sculpture Competition & Certified Judging—Saturday 10AM-3PM
  • Amateur Photo Contest Friday and Saturday all day
  • Journal News/US Bank Children’s Three-Ring Circus, Clown Alley Putt Putt, Games, Clowns, Jugglers—All begin Saturday at 10AM
  • Fort Hamilton Healthcare Ice Skating Rink begins Saturday at 10AM
  • Fifth Third Bank/Downtown SID Big Top Tent — Food & Warming Tent opens Saturday 10AM
  • Lane at Fitton’s Mike Hemmelgarn, comedy juggler & ventriloquist, Saturday 10AM-11:15AM
  • Soap Sculpture award winners announced at Butler County Gazebo Saturday at Noon
  • “Cannonball Run” Sled Race—Saturday at 4PM 
  • Competition Winners announced during Circus Finale—Saturday at 5PM
  • Public is Invited to this FREE Event!

 

Stay Overnight at The Hamiltonian Hotel! Located in the heart of Hamilton, Ohio, City of Sculpture, The Hamiltonian Hotel is the premier location to enjoy the IceFest Celebration. Walk one block to all highlights including Friday night’s Technicolor Ice Walk, Saturday’s Cultural Olympic Ice Carving Competition and the Cannonball Run Sled Race. Take the elevator home from the Fire & Ice “Lions Den” or the Circus Finale that each takes place within the ballroom!  $69.00 plus tax Room Special includes hot All-American Breakfasts for Two! 1-800-522-5570 or www.hamiltonianhotel.com

 

IceFest is presented by Hamilton, Ohio, City of Sculpture, Inc.

Hamilton, Ohio, City of Sculpture, Inc., chose to bring IceFest to Hamilton in 2001, the year after Governor Bob Taft formally recognized Hamilton as the "City of Sculpture". According to Trudy Marcum, former President of Hamilton, Ohio City of Sculpture and current chair of IceFest 2005, “The mission of IceFest is to raise funds for continuing our quest to make Hamilton known worldwide as the City of Sculpture and to create economic impact through promoting awareness of the arts in Hamilton.”  Patti Froelke, current President of City of Sculpture, adds “We have already installed or collaborated with others to install more than 15 permanent sculptures in Hamilton since our beginning in 2000, demonstrating that community members and other organizations have become increasingly energized through this vision. The City of Sculpture plans to continue our original mission by raising money through events like IceFest and therefore greatly appreciates the support of all sponsors.”

 

GLACIER SPONSORS OF ICEFEST

First Financial Capital Investors

Fort Hamilton Healthcare Corporation

Artic Diamond

City of Hamilton

Downtown Hamilton SID

Fifth Third Bank

The Hamiltonian Hotel

Journal News

Ohio Casualty Foundation, Inc.

US Bank

 

 

DIRECTIONS:  Hamilton is located off Interstate 75 between Dayton and Cincinnati. Take I-75 to Exit 24, which is State Route 129. At the end of the highway, continue straight onto High Street approximately 10 blocks.

Stay Overnight at The Hamiltonian Hotel! Located in the heart of Hamilton, Ohio, City of Sculpture, The Hamiltonian Hotel is the premier location to enjoy the IceFest Celebration. Walk one block to all highlights including Friday night’s Technicolor Ice Walk, Saturday’s Cultural Olympic Ice Carving Competition and the Cannonball Run Sled Race. Take the elevator home from the Fire & Ice “Lions Den” or the Circus Finale that each takes place within the ballroom!  $69.00 plus tax Room Special includes hot All-American Breakfasts for Two! 1-800-522-5570 or www.hamiltonianhotel.com

 


MEDIA CONTACTS:

Visit www.cityofsculpture.org for photos or information on the City of Sculpture

 

Trudy Marcum, IceFest 2005 Chair: 513-895-3934 or gmarcum@fuse.net

 

Patti Froelke, City of Sculpture President: 513-868-3013 or pattifroelke@aol.com

Sled Race: Dave Schirmer, 513-863-1145 or DHSchirmer@aol.com

Amateur Photo Contest: Bill Hartford, 513-863-3385

Soap Carving Competition: Kathie Hunter, 513-896-9962 or soapcarvers@aol.com

 


Media Release Prepared by:

Greater Hamilton Convention & Visitors Bureau
Debra Fescina Rulon, Executive Director
One Riverfront Plaza, Hamilton! OH  45011
513-844-8080 or Toll Free 1-800-311-5353
debbie@hamilton-cvb.com    www.hamilton-cvb.com