Ice castles transforms landscapes with massive displays of frozen art in US

WCAX unveils in its article that the return of the annual architectural ice celebration in New Hampshire, along with several other US states, where visitors can experience stunning ice castles that have become both art installations and tourist attractions.

Ice Castles, a blend of temporary art installations and tourist attractions, showcase towers, tunnels, archways, and caves, all constructed by growing, harvesting, and arranging thousands of icicles, followed by spraying them with sprinklers.

Since its first installation in 2011, the company behind the exhibits has expanded significantly. This year, it operates in Utah, Minnesota, two locations in Colorado, and New Hampshire, where the site includes a snow tubing hill and an ice bar. After a mild winter last year, the company was excited that this season's colder temperatures allowed them to open earlier.

“It’s one of the biggest ice castles we’ve ever built,” said Jared Henningsen, vice president of operations. “We’re looking at about 25 million pounds of ice spread over two acres.”

As a winter storm brought cold temperatures and wet snow to the South, visitors in New Hampshire braved the weather to explore the ice structure’s twists and turns on Friday.

Julia Jones, from Gloucester, Massachusetts, said she frequently travels to northern New Hampshire but had never experienced the ice castles before her visit on opening day.

“I’ve never seen anything like this before,” she said. “Honestly, I didn’t think it was gonna be this big.”

Jessica Sullivan, from Fairhaven, Massachusetts, was also taken aback—not only by the icy landscape. Her boyfriend, Brian Jacques, proposed to her during their visit.

“It’s a beautiful place,” said Jacques, who received the “yes” he hoped for. “I definitely thought, this is the time and place to do it.”

During the day, the walls and structures shine with a soft blue glow, while at night, embedded lights turn the ice into a mesmerizing display of pink, purple, and green.

“Once you enter into an ice castle, you’re transitioning into something that’s totally immersive and unlike something that most guests have ever seen,” Henningsen remarked. “I think it inspires people.”

By Naila Huseynova