Wheaton heats up winter with ice-centric fun at Ice-A-Palooza Saturday
When the winter's cold as ice, Wheaton plans to skate right through it with an artistic flair.
Two ice-centric events are coming to the city's downtown area Saturday, Feb. 8: Ice-A-Palooza and Ice Art Walk.
Two ice rinks at the Wheaton Park District's Central Athletic Complex on Naperville Road just north of Roosevelt Road will host open ice skating and hockey games from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., said Kristina Nemetz, the park district's superintendent of marketing and special events.
Even if the weather warms, Nemetz said the ice should be ready to glide across because the rinks are equipped with chillers.
"We've had ice basically ever since Christmas," she said. "The chillers will maintain it above freezing."
Nemetz said a limited supply of skates will be available for rental and purchase at the rinks.
Playing on the "Frozen" theme, characters Elsa and Anna from the movie of the same name will be there.
Police and fire personnel will square off in a three-on-three hockey pickup game at 12:30 p.m. At noon and 1 p.m., skaters from Center Ice of DuPage will perform synchronized skating routines, she said.
Ice-A-Palooza is celebrating its third year.
"It's a free outdoor family event," Nemetz said. "The event is to showcase the ice rinks, but also to get people outdoors."
Pedestrians and motorists alike traveling through the heart of the city's downtown district Saturday will encounter the Ice Art Walk and Cocoa Crawl, an event presented by the Downtown Wheaton Association.
Thirty-three ice sculptures fashioned by ice artists from Chicago Ice Works will make their first appearance on city streets just ahead of the festival that goes from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, said Morgan Bainbridge, the association's marketing and events manager.
An icy version of the Eiffel Tower, a dog and a unicorn are some of the sculptures that will be placed along Wesley, Main, Hale and Front streets, Liberty Drive and Willow Avenue, Bainbridge said.
"Olaf (the snowman) will be back," she said.
An ice tribute to artist Frida Kahlo will be on display in anticipation of the Kahlo exhibit coming to the College of DuPage this summer, she said.
Live carving demonstrations will begin at noon at Martin Memorial Plaza on Front Street just west of Main Street.
Bainbridge said 13 downtown merchants will offer free hot cocoa to visitors who bring an official Cocoa Crawl mug to their businesses during the event. Mugs are available for $5 each through Friday, Feb. 7, at the Downtown Wheaton Association office, Ivy Restaurant and The Perfect Thing consignment store, she said.
The Ice Art Walk and Cocoa Crawl, a re-imagining of the city's annual Ice Cubed event, is aimed at beating the winter doldrums, Bainbridge said.
"It's a fun way to bring people downtown in the wintertime when we don't want to stay inside," she said.
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Ice-A-Palooza and Ice Art Walk and Cocoa Crawl
When: Ice-A-Palooza from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8; Ice Art Walk and Cocoa Crawl from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: Ice-A-Palooza at Central Athletic Complex Ice Rinks, 500 S. Naperville Road, and Ice Art Walk in downtown Wheaton
Admission: Free
Info: wheatonparkdistrict.com and downtownwheaton.com