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Join us February 3-5 for the 2023 Ice Fest sponsored by Silver Beach Pizza to celebrate the winter season! It’s a weekend that brings frosty fun to downtown St. Joe. Enjoy professional Ice Carving Competitions, a Scavenger Hunt, Ice Interactives and more!

 

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3

Ice carvers begin revving their chainsaws for the Professional Individual Carving Competition, presented by Caffe Tosi, on Friday at 5:00p. Along Pleasant Street blocks of ice will be transformed into all sorts of awesome. The carvers will finish their icy creations at 8:00p.

Only a couple more days left to enter to win a Maytag Pro Pet Washer & Dryer! St. Joe Today (SJT) hosts a raffle from December 3, 2022 - February 6, 2023. Raffle tickets are just $5/ticket and are available for purchase at the SJT Welcome Center (301 State Street, St. Joseph, MI 49085). See an SJT staff member for more details on how to enter. Includes installation and setup. ⁠Must be 18+ to enter. 

INSIDER TIP: The winner will be drawn at 12:00p on Monday, February 6, 2023.

At 8:00p, guests are in for a treat with a downtown Fire & Ice Tower sponsored by Tru by Hilton. To make this happen, a large tower of ice is packed with firewood. We light it, and it becomes a unique site for all - a breathtaking bonfire (a little bit of ice and fire magic). 

All weekend long, Ice Fest attendees can explore downtown with a Scavenger Hunt. Start the search by picking up a map from the St. Joe Today Welcome Center, located at 301 State Street! The Scavenger Hunt is fun for all ages and has its rewards too - turn in the form at the end for a chance to win a St. Joe Today Gift Certificate good at participating St. Joe Today member locations. 

While you’re downtown, stroll Light up the Bluff (now through February 15) in Lake Bluff Park! This local park is transformed into a winter wonderland, featuring 1 million holiday lights. Grab a hot chocolate and continue your stroll through downtown St. Joe to take in all of the winter lights! 

The Market hosts an Ice Fest Celebration all weekend long on the East side of Main Street. St. Joe Community Taproom will feature fun specials and extended hours! Swing; stock up on snacks with The Cheese Lady; eat a delicious meal from Dad’s Farm & Cafe and Nola Roux; enjoy breakfast with Frozen’s Elsa at The Culinary Cottage; warm up with hot beverage from Infusco Coffee and The Tea Annex; sip some delicious wines with the St. Joe Wine Shoppe; and bundle up with scarves and accessories from Wild Ginger Flowers & Gifts.

INSIDER TIP: The St. Joe Wine Shoppe will host wine tastings
from 1:00p-5:00p on Sunday, February 5!

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4

Ice teams assemble! The Professional Team Carving Competition begins at 7:30a downtown St. Joe will come alive with icy fun. This carving and creating will go on until 4:00p and involves epic eight blocks of ice for each sculpture. It's awesome to watch the progress of the teams throughout the day. 

INSIDER TIP: This year check out a fifth team across Main Street
in the Courtyard Park across from Silver Harbor Brewing!

Challenge your friends and family to the Frozen Fish Toss, sponsored by The Livery; Frosty Tic-Tac-Toe, sponsored by SWMI Brew Tours; Ice Bowling, sponsored by Storage of America; Ice Skee Ball, sponsored by BOSS Services; Hole in One Putt Putt Ice Mini Golf, sponsored by KitchenAid Senior PGA! These interactives will be located along State Street between (Broad and Pleasant) and are open from 11:00a-4:00p. Addition interactive fun includes an Ice Piggy Bank where you can guess the number of pennies frozen inside, sponsored by Sturgis Bank (outside their Broad Street location).

Family fun can be found throughout Ice Fest weekend. John Dudley, a professional magician, will visit several downtown locations and offer free shows. This Magic Tour begins in downtown St. Joseph on the corner of State and Pleasant Streets at 1:00p, followed by the Silver Beach Center at 2:30p and 4:00p.

Watermark Brewing hosts the 2023 SWMI Polar Plunge at 10:00a! Brave the cold to raise funds and support the Special Olympics Michigan athletes and programs. 


SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5

An oversized Ice Throne, sponsored by NOBO, is a great place to capture the moment – find it at the corner of Pleasant and State Streets all weekend long. Be sure to get a photo and share it with us on social media using #meetmeinstjoseph.

If cold conditions remain through the weekend, Sunday offers a great opportunity to enjoy downtown St. Joe and all the sculptures created during the festival. Many stores and restaurants will be open offering the perfect place to warm up while enjoying the icy art. 

INSIDER TIP: There's still time to complete the Scavenger
Hunt, so swing by the Welcome Center to pick up a form and
drop it off by 4:00p!

Sunday Brunch is back at Tabor Hill Winery and Restaurant! Enjoy a contactless brunch buffet from 11:00a-3:00p that features new items weekly.

Enjoy a weekly Bloody Mary Bar at Vineyard 2121, on Sundays from 12:00p-4:00p.

Test out your trivia skills during the weekly Sunday Team Trivia from 2:00p-4:00p at Round Barn Brewery! Teams can join in any week and do not have to be part of the season bracket. Max group size of 6 per team; reservations suggested. 

Lazy Ballerina Winery hosts a Wine & Girl Scout Cookie Pairing from 1:00p-3:00p! Cost: $19.99/flight and includes 4 different Girl Scout cookies paired with 4 different Lazy Ballerina wines. Space is limited and reservations are suggested.

 

We hope you find all the frosty fun this weekend! ❄️

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