Remember this glowing, otherworldly Ice Castles popup in Dillon from several years ago? The magical, frozen attraction hasn’t been in Colorado since 2020, but this winter, Ice Castles will return to the Centennial State in Cripple Creek.
The acclaimed winter attraction features tunnels, caverns, towers, fountains, slides and crawl spaces built entirely from ice. A team of professional ice artisans grows, harvests and hand-places the icicles to create the acre-sized winter playground. Color-changing LED lights are embedded inside the ice, giving a fairytale glow when they are illuminated at night. They are also a favorite for Instagram and social media posts.
“We are excited to be back in Colorado this winter,” said Ice Castles’ CEO Kyle Standifird, in a press release. “Our team is dedicated to creating an unforgettable experience in Cripple Creek that complements the natural beauty of the area while providing a unique and immersive experience for guests.”
It’s a big deal for Cripple Creek — and one expected to give a big tourist boost to the historic mining town. Cripple Creek is well known for its annual Ice Festival, scheduled for Feb. 17-25, 2024, and Ice Castles will add a big, new immersive feature to the festival. It is also expected to draw big crowds from December to March.
“Cripple Creek is ecstatic to host Ice Castles this year,” said Cripple Creek Mayor Milford Ashworth in a press release. “We are the perfect frozen destination during wintertime and are looking forward to a beautiful season with Ice Castles at the forefront.”
Ice Castles will begin building its frozen fortress in Cripple Creek as soon as late October or early November. A team of approximately 20 ice artisans will spend about eight weeks building the experiences. Ice Castles in Cripple Creek is expected to open in December and remain open until early March.
The Utah-based company will have three other locations this winter in Utah, Minnesota and New Hampshire. The winter event company will also roll out a new attraction, Winter Realm, in New York and Wisconsin, featuring seasonal elements such as winter sleigh rides, ice skating and a whimsical light walk.
Tickets to visit Ice Castles will be available in December at icecastles.com.
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