Frozen masterpieces: Keene Ice and Snow Fest brings art to life

The Keene Ice and Snow Festival is back, bringing seasoned carvers, intricate sculptures, and a festive winter atmosphere to downtown on Feb. 1. Now in its 24th year, the festival is a beloved community tradition that draws thousands of visitors to watch artists transform massive ice blocks into dazzling works of art.

For veteran ice carver Wayne Miller of Walpole, preparing for the competition is always a challenge. Just days before the event, he was still unsure of what he would create. The design process is complicated and weather-dependent. 

“If you’re going to do any fusing, sticking ice together, 40 degrees doesn’t work,” he said. “You have to reconfigure your plans based on the weather.” 

The ideal temperature for carving, he said, is between 20 and 30 degrees.  Miller begins each project with a sketch on graph paper, using a ruler to lay out his design. Over the years, he has carved everything from a hand holding an Olympic torch to a rooster sitting on a column, which he may recreate this year. He’s seen the craft evolve from hand tools and chainsaws to more detailed saws.

A longtime participant in the festival, Miller first learned ice carving while managing Best Westerns and Holiday Inns, where a chef shared techniques learned at a culinary school. Now in his 70s, Miller, who is also a wood carver, competes in about three events each year. 

“We’re always encouraging more people to get involved,” he said. “A lot of the carving community is aging out. It’s a lot of demand on your body.”

Patricia Moodie, an artist who sells her recycled-material bird sculptures at Wicked Glass Art in Keene, is a first-time competitor at the Keene festival. After spending decades in Fairbanks, Alaska, where she participated in Ice Alaska—a prestigious Olympic-qualifying competition—Moodie moved back to New Hampshire in 2022 to be closer to family.

She described the ice carving scene in Alaska as highly competitive, attracting top artists from around the world. She admitted she wasn’t the most talented there, but she valued the camaraderie.

“It’s just something to do in Alaska in the winter and a great way to handle a chainsaw and big tools at 20 below zero with a foot of snow.”

For her Keene debut, Moodie has chosen to carve a penguin. 

“I’m not in it for the competition, “ she said. “I just want to see if I can do what I envision.”

The Keene festival provides each artist with two 300-pound blocks of ice to create a free-form sculpture of their choosing. A panel of judges, including the mayor, evaluates the sculptures based on categories such as first impression, use of ice, attention to detail, proportion, symmetry, creativity, and artistic impression. The judges’ scores account for 60% of the final ranking, while the People’s Choice vote makes up the remaining 40%. This year, 12 ice carvers will be stationed throughout downtown. 

Mark Rebillard, chair of the Keene Downtown Group, which organizes the festival, highlighted the event’s unique time constraints. Carving begins when the church bells ring at 10 a.m., and artists must complete their sculptures by 2 p.m. Judging and public voting continue until 4 p.m.

“It’s a magical event for families where everything is free,” Rebillard said. Beyond the competition, attendees can enjoy children’s train and pony rides, free cartoons, balloon animals, sugar snow, and even a roaming circus act. 

“The idea is that you don’t have to spend $30 on balloons,” Rebillard said. “We want people to come together in the winter and have a magical experience.”

Local businesses also embrace the festival spirit. Shops and restaurants hand out free hot chocolate, while a yeti scavenger hunt invites participants to find 25 hidden stuffed yetis throughout Main Street stores. Many businesses also participate in a window dressing competition.

The festival typically draws around 7,500 attendees, with local merchants reporting a 30% to 300% boost in sales compared to a normal Saturday in February. Last year alone, visitors roasted 1,000 s’mores over open fires.

As long as the weather cooperates, the sculptures will remain on display until Tuesday, offering residents and visitors a chance to admire these frozen masterpieces long after the competition ends.