Huron Hometown News

The City of Sandusky Recreation Division has again partnered with the
Maritime Museum of Sandusky, the Erie County Senior Center, Sandusky Sailing
Club, BAS Broadcasting and Battery Park Marina to present the Third Annual
Arctic Ice Festival. Festivities kick off on Saturday, Feb. 6 and continue on Sunday, Feb. 7, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on both days. All of the activities will take place at the Maritime Museum of Sandusky located downtown at 125 Meigs St., and its neighbor organizations, the Erie County Senior Center, and the Sandusky Sailing Basin at the Sandusky Sailing Club.
 
Professionally carved ice sculptures created by Olympic Gold Medalist and World Champion, Aaron Costic, will be on display in the Museum parking lot throughout the weekend. Costic, owner of Elegant Ice Creations in Broadview Heights, Ohio, won the 2006 Olympic Gold Medal and 1998 Olympic Bronze Medal for Professional Ice Carving. 
In addition, Costic and his staff will present an Amateur Individual Ice Carving Competition at the Arctic Ice Festival, which will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 6, and will feature amateur ice carvers from across the United States. Anyone interested in competing can call Elegant Ice Creations at 440-717-1940 for registration details.
 
The Maritime Museum of Sandusky will be open both days of the event with a reduced admission of $1 each day, which includes museum viewing and entrance for speaker's forums. In addition to the Museum's fantastic new Ice Harvesting Exhibit, there will be presentations throughout the weekend including "Ice Harvesting on Sandusky Bay" on Saturday at 1 p.m. The Erie MetroParks will have a "Critters in Winter" Touch Table located inside the museum. Youth admission to the Maritime Museum includes an ice boat model craft. 
 
The Friends of Sandusky's Underground Railroad Education Center will be hosting two Underground Railroad Trolley Tours on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and noon. The cost for the tour is $5 per person. Reservations are encouraged by calling 419-624-0274. 
 
The Erie County Senior Center will present their popular annual "Soup Cook-Off". The soup cook-off will take place on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (or until soup is gone). The soup entries will be available for tasting at $3 per person until all of the soup is gone.
The ECSC is still accepting entries for the Cook-Off. Entry is free and includes one table, bowls, spoons, and napkins. The dining room at the Erie County Senior Center will also be open for food concessions throughout the weekend. Other indoor activities at the senior center include the annual Sweater Sale and "Pat Catan's Make It/Take It Crafts" throughout both days.
Crafts are available free of charge to create with the assistance of area Girl Scout Troops. The center is calling all BINGO enthusiasts from noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 7 – at that time the center will present BINGO for just a $1 admission fee.
 
The Sandusky Sailing Club will host the Sandusky Bay Arctic Ice Boat Race beginning at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 6. On-site registration for race participants is from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The race will take place weather permitting. Anyone interested in racing should contact Dennis Butts at 419-206-2122 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Spectators are encouraged to arrive at the Sandusky Sailing Club by 11:30 a.m. to enjoy an "Ice Boats" presentation and demonstration. And, on Sunday at noon, folks will have an opportunity to watch Aaron Costic and the crew from Elegant Ice Creations as they perform an Ice Harvesting and Carving demonstration. 
 
 Additional activities taking place during the festival include ice diving
demonstrations by the Sandusky Fire Department, pictures with Frosty the
Snowman, and live reindeer. 
 
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 7, attendees will have an opportunity to take pictures, feed, and interact with the reindeer, who are actually residents of Sell's Tree Farm in Wakeman, Ohio. Reindeer handlers will be on site to answer questions and will have native SAMI herdsmen items on display. 
All activities during the Arctic Ice Festival are within an area easily accessible by walking. Ample free parking is available. Some outdoor activities will take place weather permitting. For a complete list of activities, and a downloadable program guide that includes times, locations, and more details, visit www.sanduskymaritime.org or www.cityofsandusky.com.