Art Celebrates Ice in Downtown Northampton

Plans are well underway for the first annual Northampton Ice Art Festival scheduled for the weekend of February 11-13.  The Northampton Business Improvement District, in cooperation with the City of Northampton and Arts Night Out, invites the public to witness the creation of fabulous ice sculptures throughout downtown starting at noon on Friday. Completed works will highlight Northampton's "Arts Night Out" from 5-8pm and remain on display throughout Saturday and Sunday.  If the weather cooperates, everyone will still be enjoying these artfully crafted masterpieces on Valentine’s Day!

Look for chilling and thrilling creations at these locations: Mama Iguana’s, 271 Main; J. Rich, 22 Masonic; Memorial Hall, 240 Main; Pizzeria Paradiso, 12 Crafts; Artisan Gallery, 172 Main; Thornes Marketplace, 150 Main; Cathy Cross, 151 Main, Urban Outfitters, 109 Main; Old Court House, 99 Main; Spoleto, 50 Main; Eastside Grill, 19 Strong. A map of the ice art sites will be available.

Participating ice artists come from a wide variety of backgrounds with different levels of experience and expertise. They include professional ice carver Joe Almeida; multi-media artists Peter Dellert, Michael Kuch and Chuck Stern; installation-artist Chris Nelson; sculptor Greg Stone; Mt. Holyoke architecture students Natalie Kulikowski and Hannah Ryan; Maine-based painter Matt O-Donnell; Spoleto Restaurant carvers Bill Collins and Ralph Streete; and special guest Don Chapelle, founder of Boston’s “Brilliant Ice Sculpture.”

BID Executive Director, Dan Yacuzzo hopes the first Northampton Ice Art Festival will set the precedent for a yearly event. “This will be a great opportunity to enjoy the spectacular creations of local and regional artists,” he says. “It certainly proves that there is more to winter than shovels and snow banks.”

Image: “Snow Princess” by Don Chapelle who will be working at Thornes Marketplace