First Salem Frozen Fire Festival To Light Up New Year's Countdown

SALEM, MA — Salem's Charlotte Forten Park will be transformed into a song of fire and ice next week as the city hosts the first Frozen Fire Festival as part of the countdown to the new year.

The event at 289 Derby Street will include heated igloos, fire pits, two Olympic-style curling rinks, ice sculptures, live music and performances, as well as food trucks and an outdoor bar.

The Anthem Group is producing the festival that will open on Monday and run through New Year's Day.

There will be outdoor heat lamps and complimentary cozy fleece blankets to go with the fire pits and igloos to keep warm, along with pop-up shops, a S'mores and Hot Chocolate Garden and The Polar Bar featuring local and international brews along with a large wine selection.

"This festival epitomizes everything that is great about Salem," Anthem President Chris Sinclair said. "It brings together artisan vendors, food and beverage, interactive activities and spectator performances in a beautiful park space along the waterfront.”

Entrance to the park is free. Private heated igloos are available on a first come first served basis or with the purchase of a VIP package here.

The Frozen Fire Festival will be open from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 4 p.m. to midnight on Friday, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

There are more than 30 live performances scheduled, including fire and acrobatic performances, and live ice carving and painting exhibitions. Curling will be open and free to the public as will be the 20 fire pits.

"I'm so excited to welcome this fantastic event to Salem and especially to Charlotte Forten Park," Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll said. "The family-friendly Salem Frozen Fire Festival will have something for everyone, bringing the community together in Salem’s newest urban park in the heart of our bustling downtown."

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)