SUSSEX COUNTY, Del. - Sussex County is set for a weekend packed with ice, fire, and festivities as the annual Fire and Ice Festival kicks off in coastal towns like Bethany Beach and Frankford.
The popular event, which celebrates art and community, draws over 20,000 visitors and supports more than 100 local businesses.
Despite concerns about weather, organizers in Bethany Beach spent Friday preparing for the festival's opening on Saturday morning. In Frankford, festivities took place under shelter to ensure visitors could enjoy the celebrations in comfort.
Among the highlights are the ice sculptures, with over 62,000 pounds of ice used over the course of the weekend to craft elaborate icy creations.
"They get out there with their chainsaws and block ice, and next thing you know, it's a beautiful sculpture," said Bethany Beach local Jim McKeegan, who travels with family members, including a cousin from South Dakota this time, to attend the event every year.
The festival also holds special significance for many, like Gina Kroger, who reunites with a longtime friend each year at the event. For others, it’s a chance to watch artists carve ice live, shop at and support some small local businesses, and stay busy during the calmer winter seasons.