Cartoons come to life in ice

In an effort to beat the February Blues and celebrate winter, tons of ice blocks will soon begin to pile up on the shady side of Bennett Avenue in Cripple Creek and ice sculptors from around the West will put their ice-sculpting plans in action for the seventh-annual Cripple Creek Ice Festival. This year’s theme is “Cartoons in Ice.” Sculpting begins as soon as the ice arrives so that a few of the sculptures, including the children’s ice slide, will be ready for the festival’s first weekend, Feb. 14-16. Sculpting will continue throughout the following week until the festival culminates Feb. 21-23. Sculptures will remain on display for several weeks after the event as long as the cold weather holds. This street event also includes interactive sculptures especially designed for children, street vendors and an “Ice Bar.”