By By MELISSA GODSEY / Niles Daily Star
NILES – Everybody pray for the weather to be with us the weekend of the Hunter Ice Festival, Lisa Croteau, program manager at Niles Main Street, said Thursday.
"If the weather is with us, this year proves to be magnificent," she said.
The weather will not stop the ice festival from going on, the carvings will just not last as long and the carvers will not get as intricate carvings, she said.
The ice festival is the weekend of Jan. 12, 13 and 14 in downtown Niles. This is the third year for the festival.
The ice will be delivered for the street on Friday, Jan. 12, 2007. If the weather does not cooperate, the ice will not be taken off the truck until Saturday, Croteau said.
The Hunter Ice Festival celebrates the legacy of Hunter Ice and Ice Cream Company owned by Henry and Lemont Hunter. The ice was harvested from Barron Lake in Niles.
This year there is a new attraction called "Fire and Ice," which will take place Friday, Jan. 12, 2007, at 6 p.m., regardless the weather. The show will be at the north end of the park to kick-off the festival, and it will consist of Dan Rebholz and his team sculpting a fireplace that will hold an actual fire. While the fire burns, Rebholz will sculpt for the audience, Croteau said.
"Rebholz is known in the area for his past sculpting in the ice festival of a grand piano, a butterfly and a dragon," she said.
Rebholz and the other masters are of a high caliber of carvers, Croteau said. The master sculptors are all world-class professional carvers. The student and professional carvers will be back again this year as well, she said.
Following the show there will be wine tasting from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. This year, the wine tasting will also be available from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday. It is $10 for adults and children are free, and there will also be soda pop and water available.
This year there will be specialty beers available in the wine tent Friday through Sunday.
Another new event at the festival is a series of three competitions between the ice masters, Croteau said. The first competition is Saturday morning, Jan. 13, 2007, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The competition will be a four-block sculpture with celebrity judges deciding the winner. The judges are in the process of being selected.
Later that evening, the second competition will be from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. This will be a speed carving contest with three rounds and a final.
The last of the master's competition will be Sunday, Jan. 14, 2007, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. This is a two-block competition and the judging is done by ballot from the viewers.
The first chili cook-off for Berrien County has been added to Sunday's events. Twelve local restaurants will be cooking the chili and those attending the festival will be the judges, Croteau said.
It will cost $5 for people to come in the tent and taste as much chili as they would like, then the winner will be decided by popular vote, she said.
Hunter's Ice Cream will be available again this year, with a new twist. Veni's Sweet Shop has made two toppings available to put on the ice cream for $.50 more, Croteau said.
The ice cream is also available in pre-ordered pints this year, she said.
The warming house has a new location this year – it will be at 209 E. Main St.
For more information about the Hunter Ice Festival, visit www.nilesmainstreet.com or call 687-4332.