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Plymouth Ice Festival
Page 10
For 31 years, beautiful sculptures
carved from blocks of ice have lured
thousands of area residents from their
warmhomes into the brisk winter air of
downtownPlymouth.
During those more than three
decades, the Ice Festival has weathered
the ups and downs of the American
economy and been managed by volun-
teer groups and professional organiz-
ers.
There were years when internation-
al champion carvers competed for hefty
cash prizes, creating two-story artworks
with chain saws and carving tools dur-
ing theweekend.
One thing has remained constant in
the history of the event. The lure of the
ice sculptures continues to draw
crowds to the community which was,
after all, the intent and purpose of the
original organizers.
Even the man who began the
Plymouth Ice Festival is impressed that
it has lastedmore than three decades.
In 1982, Scott Lorenz came up with
the idea to have an annual winter cele-
bration in Kellogg Park. He received
inspiration for the event when he
watched a 60Minutes feature story on a
snowand ice festival inSapporo, Japan.
Lorenz looked at his television in
awe as he saw thousands flock to view
the huge images of buildings and car-
toon characters carved from ice and
snow. He decided that Plymouth need-
ed something similar.
“If they could do this in Sapporo, I
knew we could do this in Plymouth,”
said Lorenz in an interview several
years ago. He said he wanted to create
an event to bring commerce to down-
town merchants and restaurants during
the slow retail period after the holidays.
Through the years, the Ice Festival has
grown in popularity and brings thou-
sands of people fromacross the globe to
Plymouthevery January.
Lorenz said the purpose of the event
was to bring the community a fun and
unique event while providing local
retailers and restaurant owners a
“much needed shot in the arm” during
the slow months in sales after the holi-
days.
Lorenz is recognized internationally
for his work with the festival. During
Test of time
Festival has weathered 31 years and continues to thrive