WEST HAZLETON, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — The world champions and former Olympic ice sculptors headed to northeast Pennsylvania.
A local restaurant welcomes the champions as they combine forces for the greater good.
A parade of animals migrated from Alaska to Pennsylvania, created from the hands of world champion ice sculptors.
Damenti’s Restaurant invited professional ice carvers to create a herd of animals out of some 20 tons of ice for display.
Ice sculpture aficionado and Damenti owner Kevin McDonald knew he needed to bring the best.
“You know, I thought it was good for Wilkes-Barre, but once you go to Alaska for the world championships, you say ‘holy smoke,'” McDonald said.
McDonald’s used an air-frozen insulated trailer to create an indoor space for performers. It offers a climate similar to that of Alaska.
So far, visiting ice carvers are enjoying their Keystone State vacations.
“When the opportunity arose when they invited me, I said yes, I would like to go. It’s been amazing,” said Steve Dean, world champion and former Olympic ice sculptor.
“It’s fun to come to different places and meet new people and experience different places and share the love, that passion that we have for ice sculpture with other people,” Heather Brice, 10-time world champion ice sculptor.
World champions are used to facing off in this frozen art form.
“The camaraderie between the ice carvers is exceptional. Even though they’re competing against each other, and all these guys have competed against each other, now they’re working as a team,” McDonald said.
The team works diligently inside the indoor winter wonderland, even if they’re used to a bigger canvas.
“This is what is called Clinebell ice, which is 300-pound blocks. We normally make 3,000-pound blocks and make them fit for a rhino, a big brown bear and all sorts of things,” said Steve Brice, a 21-time world champion and former Olympic ice sculptor.
The ICE4U2C Animal Parade isn’t created just for its visual appeal. All proceeds from the exhibition will be donated to six different charities.
The artists are happy that their creations help the common good.
“Yeah, it’s nice to be able to do things to help people while you’re on the planet, you know,” Dean said.
Donations will go to United Way of Greater Hazleton, Allied Services, The Palermo Foundation, Helping Hands of Greater Hazleton, SAFE and Ice Alaska.
The ICE4U2C event will begin on Tuesday at 5:00 pm and will continue until February 28.
