MILLVILLE, Del. — Despite frigid temperatures, crowds bundled up and turned out for the 9th annual Fire and Ice Festival, which wrapped up Sunday at Evans Park in Millville.
Carol Ostach, who has attended the festival for the past four years, said she came prepared for the cold weather. “dressed for the occasion. Double layers, triple layers,” Ostach said.
The weekend festival featured ice sculptors creating intricate designs, along with boardwalk displays in Bethany. Attendees could also warm up at a s’more-making station, browse local vendors and head indoors to enjoy performances while escaping the cold.
Attendees could also warm up at a s’more-making station.
Emily Mais, membership and programming director for the Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce, said the colder-than-usual temperatures caused people to move through the festival more quickly, but she still considers the event a success.
“we love to compare it to and to have everyone think about this festival weekend compared to a weekend without an event in the winter? So when we look at our numbers after the fact, that's really the comparison that we try to make. To say, is it still a boost compared to a weekend where there wouldn't have been anything going on?” Mais said.
The weekend festival featured ice sculptors creating intricate designs.
For Ostach, the cold weather was actually a benefit, helping preserve the ice sculptures throughout the day. “I'm glad it's cold. So nothing is melting. Because I've been here where it was melted within an hour,” she said.
According to Mais, plans are already underway for the 10th annual Fire and Ice Festival. Organizers expect the event to return during the last week of January, weather permitting.