Page 7 - ICE2025

Page 7

time. $140,000 and Lorenz credits Jabara and his fellow fundraisers
While the elder Lorenz thought his son's idea was “crazy,” for keeping the ice festival alive during that perilous time.
Graper talked to downtown businesses and secured $1,000 in Management of the event was then entrusted to Mike Watts
early donations. With that money and “lots of walking and talk- of WattsUp who organized the ice festival for several years and
ing,” the duo hosted the first ice festival 45-days after Lorenz guided the community event through some difficult economic
saw the 60 Minutes feature. times. In 2009, the ice festival was nearly retired due to the dif-
With Lorenz as the leader of the event and Graper working ficult economy, when the decision was made to hire Sam
behind the scenes, the script for success lasted for more than Walton of Signature Professional Group to manage the event.
10 years. Walton began a recovery effort and when he moved on, James
Current City Manager Paul Sincock, who worked as assis- Gietzen of JAG entertainment took the helm of the event.
tant manager under Graper, said his former boss was dedicat- Gietzen rejuvenated the event adding more family and par-
ed to the ice-carving event from the beginning. ticipant events while expanding the number of carvings on dis-
“The festival came along at a time when there was a down- play and the number of artisans who demonstrate their skills
turn in the economy,” said Sincock, during that previous inter- during the famous ice-carving competitions and several other
view. He credited Graper with realizing the potential of this features which have become traditions at the festival.
event as not only an economic engine, but also as an entertain- The ice festival, thanks to major community sponsors, con-
ing event which would bring the community together. tinues to be free and open to the public and with 100,000 visi-
“He's the guy that got things moving and kept them moving tors expected this year, has regained the enormous popularity
along,” Sincock said. that Lorenz once envisioned as he watched 60 Minutes more
In 1992, the spectacular event faced a crisis when Lorenz than four decades ago.
decided to step down as organizer for the event during the
same time Graper's contract with the city expired. With the fes-
tival dates set and the two leaders leaving, a local real estate
developer- along with members of the Plymouth Community
Chamber of Commerce- stepped in.
“I was asked to help out with raising money,” said the late
Jim Jabara, a former city mayor who became more involved
with the event after then chamber President Pam Kosteva
teamed him up with Tom Caviston to raise the necessary pro-
ceeds to keep the event afloat. The team was able to generate

The Sapporo Japan Ice and Snow Sculpture Show contin-
ues to attract thousands of visitors annually.