HAMILTON -- The city of sculpture will celebrate the new year with ice and art. The second annual IceFest will be a two-day spectacular, organizers say.

IceFest 2003 will take place Friday, Jan. 24 and Saturday, Jan. 25. It will be sponsored by the Downtown Hamilton's Special Improvement District, Fort Hamilton Healthcare Corp., Hamilton Community Foundation's Michael J. Colligan Fund, Fifth Third Bank, the Hamiltonian Hotel and Meeting Center, and Ohio Casualty Foundation.

"The purpose of IceFest is to provide a fun, winter family event for residents, attract visitors, highlight sculptures located throughout the area and to showcase the community and beautiful downtown Hamilton," said Trudy Marcum, member of the board of trustees for the Hamilton, Ohio, City of Sculpture.

The main events include:

* Jan. 24, 8 p.m. The "Technicolor Ice Walk" at Courthouse Square showcases more than 100 ice sculptures illuminated with colored lights. Ohio Frozen in Time Bicentennial Ice Sculptures will be featured.

* Jan. 24, 6:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. The "Fire and Ice Lodge" celebration at the Hamiltonian Hotel is scheduled. The ballroom will be transformed into a ski lodge with a hot buffet from 7 to 9 p.m. Sponsored by the Hamilton Junior Women's League Auxiliary, the event is being hosted in conjunction with IceFest and Ohio's bicentennial. Tickets are $15 and are available at the Hamiltonian, 896-6200, or from Debbie Cisle, 896-1431.

* Jan. 24 and Saturday, Jan. 25, The Amateur Photo Contest. For more information, call Bill Hartford, 863-3385, or John Moser, 868-6575.

* Jan. 25, ice sculpture competition, speed carving demonstrations, children's activities and Frosty the Snowman.

* Jan. 25, evening, "Spirit of America" laser light show.

The ice carving competition will highlight the two-day event and Olympic Ice Sculptors Jeff Stahl and Matt Williams of Forest Park will be showcased.

"We're very excited to work this year," Stahl said. "We're hoping for cold weather. We're probably the only people who hope for that.

"It's remarkable to see in two years what this community has done in the amount, the sponsorship, the size of the event."