RICHMOND, Ind. – After nearly six months of planning, the Meltdown Festival is gearing up for another year of winter fun in downtown Richmond.
The festival brings ice carvers from around the country to the local community, blending art, competition, small businesses, nonprofits, and food into one weekend-long celebration.
This year’s event takes place the last weekend of January at Elstro Plaza. Leading up to the weekend, there is a series of events each day starting on the 25. Saturday’s activities include an ice cream eating contest, hot chocolate, horse drawn trolly rides, the Meltdown Throwdown, and a fireworks show starting at 7:30 p.m.
The festival is free and open to all.
Organizers expect to use roughly 50,000 pounds of ice. A refrigerated semi-truck delivers and stores the blocks until carving begins.
“If the weather is too warm, they carve quickly, then load the sculpture back onto the refrigerated semi to preserve them until the festival starts,” said Alison Zajdel, organizer with the Meltdown Festival.
Zajdel said the carvers and their support crews are at the heart of the event. “They are so good to our community and so incredibly talented!”
A list of those participating includes:
Aaric Kendall Argenta, IL
- Dean DeMarais, Fate, TX
- Harvey Russell, St Lous, MO
- Josh Niven, Buchanan, MI
- Danny Bloss, Niles, MI
- Sammy Moore, Elkhart, IN
- Bill Thistlethwaite, South Bend, IN
- Kyle Finke, Argenta, IL
- Nathan Thistlethwaite, San Antonio, TX
Weather and fundraising remain two of the biggest challenges each year. The festival requires more than $60,000 to operate, and Zajdel said community support makes it possible.
“We have sponsors from $250 all the way to $10,000 and they are critical,” said Zajdel. “We don’t make any money off the festival; we just cover expenses. So, renewing our sponsors, and in-kind supporters, and finding new sponsors each year is super important.”
As the festival approaches, Zajdel said the goal is to bring joy to the community. “Winter can be so gloomy in the Midwest, so embracing that cold and turning it into something we can all look forward to is important!”
Image source: Alison Zajdel, taken by Stephanie Harrison
