Ice Weekend opens Lake Chelan Winterfest Jan. 16–18 in downtown Chelan

CHELAN — Ice Weekend, the opening weekend of Lake Chelan Winterfest, begins Friday, Jan. 16, bringing three days of winter-themed activities, ice carving, live music and family events to downtown Chelan.

Ice Weekend runs through Sunday, Jan. 18, with activities centered in downtown Chelan and at Don Morse Park. The weekend is the first of two themed weekends organized by the Lake Chelan Chamber of Commerce.

Live ice carving is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. Saturday at the corner of Woodin Avenue and Emerson Street. Ice sculptures will be displayed throughout downtown on Saturday as part of the festival schedule.

The Ice Bar, constructed of ice, will be open Friday through Sunday with live music scheduled during operating hours. The Ice Bar is a 21-and-over attraction and requires a Winterfest button for entry.

Family-oriented activities are scheduled throughout the weekend and include a snow slide, apple bin rides, cookie decorating, youth games and crafts, a kid zone on Emerson Street and the Find Tsilly scavenger hunt, which runs through Jan. 25 at participating businesses.

The Polar Bear Plunge is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday at Don Morse Park, followed by a fireworks display at 6:30 p.m. Organizers have also planned a beach bonfire at the park following the plunge.

Adult-focused events include the Wine Walk from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, which requires a ticket, as well as a Bubble Brunch scheduled for Sunday at the Cider Press in Manson. Rotten Apple Comedy Shows are scheduled for Friday and Saturday evenings.

Many activities require a Winterfest button, which also provides access to discounts and specials at participating businesses throughout the Lake Chelan Valley from Jan. 16–25. Some events, including the Wine Walk, Bubble Brunch and comedy shows, require separate tickets.

Event check-in and the Wine Walk bottle shop will operate Saturday from the Lake Chelan Winterfest headquarters at 216 E. Woodin Ave.

A full schedule of events and ticket information is available through the Lake Chelan Chamber of Commerce.