Just because interior Alaska is cold does not mean we can't have fun. Every March Fairbanks is the home to the World Ice Art Championships drawing competitors from all over the world. To check out some of the past and present art go to http://www.icealaska.com/. There are two main categories, single and multi-block. A block being a 8'x5'x3' chuck of ice the sculptors get to manipulate using every tool imaginable from chain saws and chisels to hair blowers and sand paper. The photo to the left is an entry in the single-block competition. The multi-block competition starts in a few days and is when the really impressive sculptures are created. The meticulous detail and enormous size of some of the works are mind blowing. Sure, Becky and I go for the beauty of the occasion but we also go to keep the little kid inside of us alive. Half the park is full of serious ice sculptors to be marveled at while the other half is built into a kid's park for play time. They create 60 foot long slides of ice coming down dinosaur backs, igloos and tunnels to run through, a gigantic labyrinth to chase folks in and a series of luges, and spinning cups. Except for our size you would not recognize us as one of the mature, responsible adults in the park.
