Havre de Grace Ice Festival: 'We Were Blown Away,' Mayor Says

HAVRE DE GRACE, MD — What happened at the Havre de Grace Ice Festival bodes well for future events, according to city leaders.

"We were blown away," Mayor William Martin said at this week's City Council meeting. "After a year, I think people want to get outside and get some fresh air."

The Havre de Grace Ice Festival united artists, businesses and organizations downtown for a festival of ice and activities Saturday and Sunday, organized by the Havre de Grace Alliance.

The theme for the 2021 Havre de Grace Ice Festival was "Fairy Tales & Fantasy," and the winning ice sculpture was "Cinderella's Castle" by Artists' Emporium.

There was "some great looking ice," Martin said. "The city sponsored a sculpture of King Kong climbing the lighthouse, which was like 5 feet tall, 6 feet tall."

Ice sculptures, costumed characters, a hot toddy garden, chili cook-off and a princess parade were among the festivities.

"It was great to see all the kids dressed up — everything from princesses to dragons," Councilwoman Casi Boyer said, noting there was also some "pretty amazing dragonflies."

Sculptures drew people from near and far, and the mayor said he saw license plates from Pennsylvania and people from Cecil County in town.

A mask mandate was in effect during the event, and the mayor said he believed at least 90 percent of attendees followed the guidance.

By order of the governor, Marylanders have to wear masks outside when physical distancing is not possible.

Councilman Jason Richardson thanked businesses that sponsored the ice sculptures, organizers as well as attendees for wearing masks. He agreed the event was a draw for the town.

"Reading the article that the [Baltimore] Sun did, every picture that they showed was of a family from somewhere else — some as far as Vienna, Va.," Richardson said.

The Havre de Grace Alliance reported it hosted a record number of ice sculptures and the following were the winners:

1. Cinderella's Castle by the Artists' Emporium
2. Bernie Sanders at the 2021 Inauguration by MacGregor's
3. Three-way tie: Chessie the Sea Monster by Lock House and Decoy Museum; Eiffel Tower by Les Petit Bisous; and Wedding Day Cinderella by The Wedding Boutique
4. Dionysus God of Wine by the Vineyard Wine Bar
5. Three-way tie: Ariel by the Blue Heron; Sebastian by Water Street Seafood; and Tinkerbell by the Havre de Grace Chamber of Commerce

"This past weekend was a very good barometer for the city at least to see what people's tolerances are for being outside to have an event," Martin said.

"So we're slowly emerging from the state of COVID that we've been in for the last year," the mayor continued. "Of course, we're not out of it yet by any stretch of imagination. But there's light at the end of the tunnel."