Sculptures adorn downtown Wheaton for Ice (Cubed) Fest

For a few days or weeks, or maybe for just a few hours, downtown Wheaton will play host to an art display as transient as the weather's whims.

Eighteen ice sculptures will dot the business district's sidewalks for the city's third annual Ice (Cubed) Fest beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 28.

"It's a fun event that gets people out in January when we've been cooped up with cabin fever," said Paula Barrington, executive director of the Downtown Wheaton Association, the organization presenting the free event.

When the event debuted in 2015, extreme cold kept the sculptures around for weeks, Barrington said.

"Last year was a little unusual. We wound up with rather warm weather. I want to say it was in the 50s and the sun was out," she said.

Sculptures quickly turned into puddles, she said. But many in the estimated crowd of 1,200 preserved images of the ephemeral creations with cameras.

"People do selfies with the sculptures," she said.

The association split the cost of the sculptures with participating merchants, many of whom chose figures that suggest the nature of their businesses, Barrington said.

An icy stiletto shoe will stand outside Miroballi Shoes at 124 N. Hale St. Ice shaped like a tooth wearing braces will represent Weber Orthodontics and a giant ice-diamond ring sponsored by Stones Jewelry, both on Front Street.

Barrington said the association underwrote the cost of a Mickey Mouse sculpture for the Clare Woods Academy, a not-for-profit school for children and young adults with learning and development disabilities. The sculpture will be placed at 112 N. Main St.

Other ice sculptures planned for the fest include a penguin, Olaf the snowman, an ice cream cone, a beer stein, an Eiffel Tower and a shaggy dog.

The sculptures are created at Chicago Ice Works of Willowbrook.

"They carve them in advance and put them in cold storage," Barrington said.

Chicago Ice Works carvers will be on hand from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday to demonstrate how it's done. Jim Bringas is the company's owner.

"He's been carving more than 22 years now," Barrington said.

The ethereal beauty of an angel ice-carving will grace the sidewalk near Wheaton Religious Gift and Church Supply on Front Street.

"We had an angel last year, too," said Barb Palmer, the business' office manager. "They're so pretty. It's such a neat event."

Ice (Cubed) Fest provides a fun event for visitors and an opportunity for downtown merchants to promote their enterprises, Barrington said.

"It helps bring in additional foot traffic for that day," she said. "It'll help carry us into February."

Palmer agreed that the event is an effective way to draw crowds to downtown.

"Anything they do down here always attracts people," she said.

If you go

What: Ice (Cubed) Fest

When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28

Where: Downtown Wheaton

Admission: Free

Info: (630) 682-0633 or downtownwheaton.com