NEWS

Ready for its close-up: Icefest gone Hollywood

Icefest 2019 may have gone Hollywood but the stars in this production were just plain folks.

Ice sculptors worked in the cold at the event’s ice-carving competition in Yorkville, creating frozen movie-related works, pausing every now and then to warm their fingers and chat with visitors who watched them work.

Hundreds of people watched the artists work, voted on the finished productions and took part in other activities at the free event.

Icefest artist Billy Watterson at work
COLD WORK: Icefest artist Billy Watterson works on his sculpture depicting an old-fashioned movie projector for the Sassafraz Ice Sculpting Competition.
Icefest signpost
THAT’S THE TICKET: Even the signpost for the event was carved out of ice.

They enjoyed the Icefest Lounge with its live DJ, cocktails and hot beverages.

They also took part in a scavenger hunt — a first this year — and checked out the exhibitors and vendors who lined the Village of Yorkville Park on Cumberland Street.

The Bloor-Yorkville BIA, which organized Icefest, decided to make this year’s fest inspired by the Toronto film industry, Hollywood North.

The neighbourhood was transformed into a glittering display with more than 70,000 lbs. of clear ice carved into sculptures inspired by the success of the local film industry.

It was quite an updating from last year’s Icefest that was medieval-themed.

Icefest sculpture on display
ON DISPLAY: Visitor to Icefest, Jane Nadashkevich, gets an upclose appreciation of a finished ice sculpture.