GOSHEN —
Sixteen blocks of ice equaling 2,500 pounds surrounded wood for a bonfire in downtown Goshen during the First Fridays Fire and Ice Festival.
Ice carvers Jim Houser of Huntington and Greg Beachey of New Paris worked together to light the wood inside the ice tower.
“These are two concepts that don’t mix — fire and ice,” Houser said. “I’ve worked on one before but not quite as big as this. This is the first time for Goshen.”
Brent Koehn watched in awe as water ran down the inside walls of the ice tower as flames shot upward from the fire within.
“That’s a neat effect,” Koehn said.
The temperature hovered around 25 degrees during the lighting of the bonfire.
“This is a nice idea and makes you feel warm,” Rhoda Schrag said watching the fire along with a large crowd of bystanders.
Ice carving, along with “fire dancing” pyrotechnic displays, were highlights of this month’s First Fridays event. The Fire and Ice Festival continues today downtown with an ice-carving competition from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the “chili fire” competition from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
‘We have fire’
First Fridays coordinator Katrina Maust heaved a sigh of relief Friday night after the fire finally got going with blow torches and pieces of cardboard added to the wood by Houser and Beachey.
“We have fire,” Maust said, smiling. “This is my first experience undertaking an event like this. Everybody contributes to make the large event come together. The business’ support it and we have so many. It’s awesome and I’m so excited about the tower of ice.”
Six-year-old Elliot Hollinger waited for the fire to be lit along with his 12-year-old sister, Sophie, and their dad Curtis Hollinger.
“It’s going to be cool when they light the fire,” Elliot said. “This is my favorite event. I just like the way it (ice sculptures) looks when they (ice carvers) are done.”
Sophie said she thinks the whole event “is cool and unique.” “I like the fire dancers show,” she added.
The family stopped by a warming station and roasted marshmallows while looking at the different sculptures around town.
Downtown Goshen Inc. Director Gina Leichty looked at the large crowd watching fire dancers spinning fire as well as the fire burn in the ice tower.
“The turnout is great and I’m delighted,” Leichty said. “The Fire and Ice Festival is one of the most well-attended events we have. We always have something new. People love the ice sculpting. It’s fun to watch the carvers work.”
Breaking News
Related Photos
-
Mike Evans of Edwardsburg creates his abstract ice sculpture in front of A Constant Spring Friday during the Fire and Ice Festival. SAM HOUSEHOLDER | The Goshen News
-
Peter Jamison-Lee, Elkhart, performs a fire dance with Pyrotation Nation in downtown Goshen Friday. SAM HOUSEHOLDER | The Goshen News
Fire and Ice Festival draws a crowd to downtown Goshen
- Breaking News
-
-
Dozens treated after school buses collide
NORTH WEBSTER — A crash involving four Wawasee Community School buses Wednesday resulted in more than 50 injured students, according to Kosciusko County police.
-
Fitness Fridays begin at Parkview LaGrange
Looking for a way to “jump start” your weekend activities? Leaders at Parkview LaGrange Hospital invite the public to join them every Friday at 4 p.m. for a 2-mile walk around the hospital’s half-mile walking track.
-
UPDATE: Wawasee bus driver, some students taken to hospital after crash
SYRACUSE — A crash Wednesday afternoon involving four Wawawsee Community School buses has sent 25 children and a bus driver to local hospitals for treatment. The crash occurred on Ind. 13 near Clark Marina, which is between Wawasee Middle School and the North Webster town limits.
-
FIT FAMILIES: Hospital or home, which setting is best for delivering a baby?
It would be difficult to find a birth topic more emotionally charged than home delivery. Women and men of all socio-economic, educational and professional backgrounds tend to have strong ideas about home birth vs. hospital birth.
-
School bus crash in North Webster
Samirtan helicopters are en route to a wreck involving mutliple school buses in North Webster.
-
Shipshe Event Center receives AED
Visitors and staff at the Shipshewana Event Center and Hostetler’s Hudson Museum will have a little extra backup in case of emergency thanks to an automated external defibrillator that is now available on site.
-
Graduation season gets underway tonight
The time has come for local high school seniors to begin turning their tassels. After 13 years of schooling in many cases, the Class of 2013 is ready to graduate.
-
Fifth-graders give ‘State Fair’
NAPPANEE — Fifth-graders at Nappanee Elementary School proudly showed off their work at a state fair held Friday in the school gymnasium. The students have been studying states and the fair was the culmination of their work, which began in March.
-
GOSHEN CITY COUNCIL: Standards defined for future tax breaks
Goshen City Council members took the first step in what could soon be a universal approach to the way tax phase-ins are handled throughout Elkhart County.
-
Locals bend Lt. Gov. Susan Ellspermann’s ear on overregulation
Regulations, taxes and the rebound of the recreational vehicle industry were the topics Lt. Gov. Susan Ellspermann heard were important in Elkhart County during a visit Tuesday afternoon.
- More Breaking News Headlines
-
Texas Students Coach Teachers on Fitness
New Forecasting Tool Eyed for Hurricane Season
Meet MJ, the Bike Riding Tabby Cat
Britain Attack Believed Linked to Radical Islam
Raw: Kevin Durant Tours Moore After $1M Pledge
Weiner Launches Bid to Become NYC Mayor
Okla. Teens Get Video of Deadly Tornado Overhead
Man Shot While Questioned in Boston Probe
School Storm Protection Spotty in Tornado Zones
9-year-old Tornado Victim Loved Family, Singing
Moore Native Toby Keith Tours Tornado Damage
Oklahoma Survivors, Heroes Survey Damage
Okla. City Mayor: Up to 13K Homes Hit by Tornado
Raw: Aftermath of Deadly Attack in London
Paperless Scanner, Vision of the Future
Florida FBI Shooting Has Boston Bombing Links
Garcetti Elected Los Angeles Mayor Over Greuel
Raw: New Video of Deadly Oklahoma Tornado
IRS Official Pleads 5th Amendment
Lawyer: Feds Investigating Susan Powell Case
