Community Corner

Your Guide to the 2013 Utica Ice Festival

Saturday's Radio Disney snow starts at noon in Memorial Park, with activities for children offered through 4 p.m.

Historic downtown Utica will be transformed into "The World of Disney" this weekend as the city celebrates its annual ice festival, Feb. 8-10.

If you're planning to head downtown to catch the fireworks, take a carriage ride or just stroll by the 50 plus ice sculptures, here's what you need to know:

Carriage rides

Back by popular demand, carriages rides will be offered all three days of the festival. Tickets, available at City Hall, are $4 for adults, $1 for children under 12 and free for infants.

Find out what's happening in Shelby-Uticawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Ice sculptures

Jeff Wolf, a Shelby Township artist and owner of Finesse Ice Sculptures, and his team will once again carve all of the festival's sculptures, as well as offer on-site demonstrations. Wolf has also helped organize an amateur carving contest for the viewing pleasure of festival-goers from 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday.

Be sure to stop by Memorial Park where a 20-foot Cinderella castle will serve as the festival's centerpiece.

Find out what's happening in Shelby-Uticawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Warm up with hot chocolate

City Hall will serve as a warming station throughout the festival. Volunteers will also serve up free hot chocolate.

Parking

All parking in downtown Utica is free, but unless you plan on getting to the festival 12 hours early, you may not find spots along the main thoroughfares.

Here's where you'll find festival parking:

  • St. Lawrence at 44633 Utica Road, follow Greeley Street east to Davis Street and head north through the pedestrian tunnel under M-59 to the downtown area.
  • Fire Station at 7609 Auburn Road, parking located behind the station.
  • Summer Street, parking on the southeast corner where Cass Avenue intersects.
  • Trinity Lutheran at 45160 Van Dyke Ave., a police escort will be on hand prior to the fireworks Friday to help festival-goers cross Van Dyke.

Used book sale

The annual used book sale takes place Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., and Sunday, 1-3 p.m. Sunday is bag day, where patrons can fill a grocery bag with any number of items for a $5 flat fee. The sale offers books of every genre along with CDs, DVDs and audiobooks.

Haircuts for charity

On Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., The Hue Salon at 45169 Cass Ave. will offer new customers $10 haircuts, with proceeds benefiting Faithful Friends Animal Rescue, a foster-based animal rescue based in Shelby Township. Customers will receive a haircut and a $10 voucher toward their next visit.

Festival Schedule

Friday, Feb. 8

  • 4-8 p.m. Streets closed and carriage rides (tickets can be purchased at City Hall)
  • 7-8 p.m. DJ and dancing in Memorial Park
  • 8 p.m. – Opening ceremony, Mayor's address and honoring Utica High School D.E.C.A. Club in Memorial Park
  • 8:20 p.m. – Fireworks

Saturday, Feb. 9

  • 8-11 a.m. – Amateur ice carving contest
  • 11:30 a.m. – School ice contest
  • 10 a.m.-4 p.m. – Used book sale at the Utica Library
  • Noon-4 p.m. – Radio Disney show and activities
  • 3-7 p.m. – Carriage rides (tickets can be purchased at City Hall)

Sunday, Feb. 10

  • Noon-4 p.m. – Carriage rides (tickets can be purchased at City Hall)
  • 1-3 p.m. – Used book sale at the Utica library
  • Noon-4 p.m. – Kids' games
  • Noon-4 p.m. – Magician

For more information visit http://www.utica-events.com/icefest#!icefest/cf4x.

Like Patch on Facebook | Follow Patch on Twitter | Sign up for Patch's free daily e-newsletter

Have any other useful tips for festival-goers? Post them in the comments below!


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here