Ice Carvers Battle Sunny Skies at Fire & Ice Event

In 2017, Cody Leist’s swan sculpture placed second in the advanced division at Sturgeon Bay’s Fire and Ice Festival. Submitted.

Sweating through unseasonably warm temps, ice carvers tested their speed and agility against beautiful sunny skies at the annual Fire & Ice event in Sturgeon Bay on Feb. 18. The creatively brave group of 25 ice carvers took to the streets of Sturgeon Bay to create spectacular works of art, with the ice carvers competing for cash prizes and the coveted People’s Choice Award. Carving took place from 9 am to noon with high temperatures speeding up the competition clock, with the awards ceremony at 1 pm in the Sturgeon Bay Visitor Center. The People’s Choice Award was awarded to Team Frozen for their Olaf the snowman carving from Disney’s Frozen movie. Each competitor level was awarded as follows: Beginner – First, Team Frozen; Second, Club Carvers (Boys & Girls Club); Intermediate – First, Tina Gohr & Tracy Robinson, “Think Spring;” Second, Fox Valley Technical College, “Squirrel on a Nut;” Third, Fox Valley Technical College, “Breaching Whale;” Advanced – First, Gary Richter, “Elsa;” Second, Cody Leist, “Swan;” Third, Jennifer Beyer, “Angel.” For more information, visit SturgeonBay.net or call 800.301.6695 or 920.743.6246.