Amish Country Blog

Goshen’s 3rd Annual Ice Carving and Chili Competition kicks off the New Year, on January 1 and 2. The popular First Fridays event, Fire and Ice Festival, will give revelers one last holiday fling!

Members of the Michiana Ice Carvers Association (MICA) will carve 700-pound blocks of ice in front of downtown stores on Friday from 5 – 9 p.m. Watch these sculptures take form while you shop downtown businesses offering holiday specials.

The Friday ice sculpture carving is sponsored by area businesses

Then the celebration continues on Saturday, January 2, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

To keep everyone warm and fed, the Chili Fire Competition will also be going on Saturday. Free tastings are available, but tickets required – only 500 will be available. Pick tickets up at the Fire & Ice Festival Headquarters located in the lobby of the Goshen Theater, 216 South Main Street. Tasters can vote for their favorite soup at the Headquarters. The winner will be announced on West Washington Street on Saturday at 2 p.m.

Chili competition coordinator, Darin Short said competitors in this annual tradition invite everyone to taste their special brand of chili. Participating restaurants:

Constant Spring (219 South Main Street)
El Duranguenze (113 West Washington Street)
Electric Brew (136 South Main Street)
Kelly Jae’s Cafe (133 South Main Street)
Maple City Market (314 South Main Street)
Mattern’s Butcher Shop & Corner Deli (201 South Main Street)
Olympia Candy Kitchen (136 North Main Street)
The Window (233 South Main Street)
Tony’s Famous Grill (103 North Fifth Street)

Ice Sculpture Competition on Washington and Main Streets

Contestants test their skills with elaborate competition pieces. With more time to sculpt, and larger blocks of ice, the artists have time to make truly amazing sculptures. Judges will review award cash prizes to the top three contestants.

Sponsors for the competition piece are:

Best Western Hotel
Bill’s Heating, Inc.
Goshen City Republican Committee
Goshen College
Judd Family Dentistry
Mennonite Mutual Aid
Middlebury Electric, Inc.
Salon J
Spohn Ballroom
Troyer Foods

Whether you go on Friday or Saturday, or you enjoy both days, Goshen’s 3rd Annual Fire and Ice Festival will be a crowd pleasing event.

Mindy, Amish Country Northern Indiana Contributor and Visitor Center Specialist

Tags: Amish Country, Chili Competition, Elkhart County, Fire and Ice Festival, Goshen, Ice Sculpting, Michiana Ice Carvers Association, New Years Day Activities

This entry was posted on Monday, December 28th, 2009 at 8:55 am and is filed under Amish Country, Elkhart County, Entertainment, Festival, Goshen, Ice Carving, holiday. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.