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NILES — The 21st annual Hunter Ice Festival has arrived in downtown Niles.

The annual festival, which sees dozens of expertly carved ice sculptures placed around downtown in addition to other activities, begins today and continues through Sunday, Jan. 19 in Niles’ downtown area. 

The event is free and open to the public. Below is a tentative schedule of Saturday and Sunday events for the Hunter Ice Festival:

Friday, Jan. 17

• Ice Set-Up (Weather Dependent)
  Ice carving kicks off Friday afternoon as the artists begin setting up these frozen masterpieces in downtown Niles.
• Fire & Ice Kickoff Party – 7:00 PM
  The Fire & Ice Kickoff at Riverfront Park behind Wonderland Cinema officially kicks off the festival. 
• Hunter Ice Cream Booth
  Enjoy ice cream from the Hunter Ice Cream Booth sponsored by Culver’s of Niles. Serving up ice cream from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday evening.
• Children’s Center Ice Sledding Run
  A fun sledding run for children will open Friday afternoon, and (hopefully) last through the the weekend.
• Interactive Games – 5 p.m. onward
  Starting at 5 p.m., jump into action with free interactive games: Ping Pong, Golf, Plinko, and Ice Pickleball. Play until the ice melts away

Saturday, Jan. 18

• Live Ice Carving – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  Watch carvers transform blocks of ice into sculptures. The live carving event will be happening at the corner blocks all day Saturday.
• Ice Fights at the Amphitheater – 4:30 p.m.
  Witness competitive action at Ice Fights, happening in the Amphitheater at 4:30 p.m., to see who will come out on top in a battle of ice and skill.
• Hunter Ice Cream Booth
  Visit the Ice Cream Booth sponsored by Culver’s of Niles, open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday.
• Interactive Games – Ongoing
  Enjoy the fun all day long with interactive ice games such as Ping Pong, Golf, Plinko, and Ice Pickleball.

Sunday, Jan. 19

Hunter Ice Cream Booth
Grab a scoop from Culver’s of Niles as the booth remains open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for your Sunday sweet tooth fix.

• Interactive games.

As long as the weather cooperates, the games will stay up including the Children’s Center sledding hill.