On Saturday January 18th, downtown Marietta sidewalks will have some icy sparkle with the return of the The Glenwood Community Ice Festival hosted by Marietta Main Street. This popular annual event draws thousands of visitors to admire 19 ice sculptures on display throughout the historic, commercial district. Each sculpture is the work of Tyson Whistler of Whistler Ice Works, who begins the process long before the sculptures are revealed.
Each sculpture begins as a 300 pound block of ice, and Whistler began freezing his blocks in October. Using a combination of templates, freehand carving, and lots of special tools, he creates his artistic pieces as either a single carved block or multiple pieces joined together. An additional highlight to the Ice Festival is the live carving that Whistler will do on the Armory Lawn, allowing the public to watch one of his creative ideas become a reality. Linda Dailey, Senior Executive Director of The Glenwood Community, said that sponsoring the Ice Festival is a pleasure. “We are thrilled to once again sponsor the Marietta Ice Festival, an event that brings so much joy and creativity to our community. Tyson Whistler of Whistler Ice Works, who provides the stunning ice displays, is a valued employee of The Glenwood Community. Supporting Tyson and our community is something we are truly passionate about, and we look forward to being part of this wonderful tradition each year.”
Downtown businesses and non-profits are sponsoring the sculptures, and the owners work with Whistler to come up with designs. Whistler said he is excited about this year’s designs. “This is the 9th year of putting ice sculptures on the streets of historic downtown Marietta. This year, there will be new designs and a nice combination of 3D style, logo style and photo op cutout style sculptures.” Main Street volunteers will work with Whistler to set the sculptures in place by noon, and the live sculpture carving at the Armory will take place at 1:30 pm.
Businesses sponsoring the sculptures are located on Front Street, Putnam Street,
Second Street and Tiber Way. A map can be found on the Marietta Main Street Facebook page, and printed maps will be available at the CVB table on the Armory lawn. On Front Street, Wit & Whimzy and Clutch Collective are partnering to sponsor a sculpture. The Marietta Ice Festival is one of my favorite local events," said Sarah Arnold, owner of Clutch Collective. "Tyson is an incredible local artist and we are so fortunate that he sets aside time each year to create original artwork for this event. Photos do not do his work justice; the sculptures are best enjoyed in person and made all the more special by the fact that they are temporary installations.”
On Putnam Street, Peoples Bank Theatre is once again hosting one of Whistler’s creations. "We here at Peoples Bank Theatre have always felt it is very important to be a part of the Ice Festival because winter can feel so drab and Tyson Whistler’s work brings joy and smiles to people. Even when the sun doesn't shine directly on Marietta the community experiences warmth and brightness with such actions that bring us all together," explained Miranda Duty, General Manager of Peoples Bank Theatre.
New this year, Marietta Main Street is hosting an “after party” concert at the Adelphia on Second Street. The fundraiser is a Beatles Tribute, featuring local bands and singers performing the songs of the Beatles. The doors open at 7:30 pm, with the show starting at 8:00 pm. Presale tickets are $12, and day of sale tickets will be $15, limited to ages 18 and up. Seating is first come first served and may be limited. Participating performers include Jake Dunn & The Blackbirds, Tulips, Joshua Lee & The Nice Dream, Hominid, Evie Schaffer, OYO and Soph Stevens.
The community is invited to spend the afternoon in downtown Marietta, admiring the ice sculptures and watching Tyson Whistler do a live carving. Enjoy shopping and dining at one of the many unique shops, boutiques and restaurants, then keep the fun going at the Beatles Tribute concert.
