2015 Loveland Fire & Ice Update: Snow Becomes Ice

from our friends at the Loveland Fire & Ice Festival....

Warm Weather, Vandalism Trigger Transition from Snow Sculpting to Ice Sculpting at Loveland Fire and Ice Festival Feb. 13 and 14

In snow sculpting, they say that Mother Nature is the fourth teammate. Following days of 60+ degree weather, more warmth in the forecast and this weekend’s vandalism of produced snow and the snow making machine, the Loveland Fire and Ice Festival has had to alter its snow sculpting competition. Today, after consulting with participating snow sculpting teams, the event will instead feature an ice sculpting competition.

Despite the unseasonably warm weather, the Loveland Fire & Ice team has been working to create snow in preparation for the competition. The team was working on several contingency plans to ensure the competition had snow; however, the entire state of Colorado is feeling the impact of reduced snow and moisture.

We have been keeping an eye on the weather forecast while we have been working to make our own snow for the event and have been collaborating with some of our partners and contacts around the state to find alternative options to meet the needs of the competition,” said Nate Webb, owner of Blazen Illuminations and Loveland Fire and Ice event organizer. “Unfortunately, our snow pile and our snow machine at Fairgrounds Park were vandalized over the weekend, reducing the amount of snow that we have locally. The snow machine is currently inoperable, meaning we no longer have the capability of making snow locally. Even the high country is struggling to keep its snow count and that eliminates our Plan B. We have been working hard to ensure that our snow sculpting competition has the resources that it needs;however, with less than three days until the competition was set to start, we needed to take action.”

The Loveland Fire and Ice Festival snow sculpting competition will become an ice sculpting competition in 2015. Participating snow sculpting teams have been contacted and as of today, six teams will be participating, including the 2014snow sculpting champions, team Snice from Breckenridge and the 2014 snow sculpting People’s Choice Award winner, the Snow Fuddz. Ted Struckman with Struckman Sculpture Ice is providing 60 blocks of ice at 18” x 30” x 10”, the standard ice sculpting competition size. Instead of sculpting one 8’ x 8’ block of snow, each team will now have up to six blocks of ice to sculpt. Webb estimates that there should still be enough snow to pack 2-4 blocks during the snow stomping party on Wed. Feb. 11, but there isn’t enough to fill all blocks to keep the snow sculpting competition intact. The ice blocks will arrive Friday morning and that will be when ice sculpting teams can start to work.

Despite the changes with the snow sculpting competition, all other aspects of the Loveland Fire & Ice Festival remain the same.

Presented by Visit Loveland Colorado and Blazen Illuminations, the Loveland Fire & Ice Festival is a family-friendly event featuring a live show-stopping light show musical spectacular that will transform 4thStreet in downtown Loveland with lighting projections, illuminations and fireworks accompanied by snow and ice sculptures, a Snow Vehicle Car Show, live,free music and more. Programming kicks of at 3 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. on Saturday, with the light show musical spectacular at 6:15 and 9 p.m. each evening.

“Loveland is known as the nation’s Sweetheart City and is the perfect place to host an unforgettable and uniqueValentine’s Day celebration,” said Webb. “We wanted to bring an event to Loveland that ties in with the city’s focus on Valentine’s Day, art and community, and one that is exciting and fun for the entire family. The festival was inspired by Disneyland’s Main Street USA light and fireworks show and Montréal En Lumière, making it a great way to celebrate the holiday.”

Buildings along 4thStreet in downtown Loveland will be illuminated with Valentine-themed red and white lights and designs. The light show musical spectacular will feature the lights dancing to live music and accompanied by a festive fireworks display. In addition to the special effects, lighting, fireworks and ice sculpting competition, attendees can experience:

·       Live, free music and performances throughout the event
·       Snow Vehicle Car Show with a collection of vintage and new snow machines and vehicles on display
·       Romantic carriage rides along 4thStreet
·       Hot chocolate and S’more stations for families
·       Local Loveland food and artisan vendors and more.

Loveland’s Fire & Ice Festival brings Colorado’s best talent together to produce a show stopping light show and special effects display. Blazen Illuminations has been a major player in many Colorado productions including the Denver City and County building Christmas display,and developing Civic Center Conservancy’s concept for Denver’s Independence Eve lighting and firework display. Blazen has partnered with Angel Light Pyrotechnics for the event. Angel Light provides fireworks and special effects displays around Colorado including the nationally recognized Fourth of July show for the city of Loveland, Independence Eve for the city of Denver, and the Larimer County Fair.

In addition, the festival will showcase the many talents and products of local downtown businesses as vendors for event attendees coming to Loveland from other areas of Colorado and beyond.

The event is free and open to the public. Learn more at LovelandFireAndIce.com.