Wheaton celebrates Ice (Cubed) Festival

An ice storm struck Wheaton on Saturday, but there was really nothing to fear.

Power lines didn't come down. Salt trucks weren't needed. Nobody called Jim Cantore, that guy from The Weather Channel who seems to make his living standing outside and looking miserable during snowstorms and hurricanes.

This was a pleasant ice storm, the kind that features sculptures and carvers and a cute name: the Ice (Cubed) Festival.

The third annual bash was sponsored by the Downtown Wheaton Association and featured 18 ice sculptures placed along downtown sidewalks. The association split the cost of the art with participating merchants, some of whom picked specific carvings that reflected what's inside their stores.

The sculptures were created by carvers from Chicago Ice Works of Willowbrook, who also took time to demonstrate how they do their work.

Organizers say the celebration is designed to help merchants promote their businesses and give residents an excuse to spend time outside on a January afternoon.

And, they say, it's a pretty cool event - even without Jim Cantore.