The Belfast Ice Festival, presented by Nordic Aquafarms, is returning for the third year, with a weekend packed full of activities for all ages, February 24 – 26.

Beginning Friday, February 24, ice sculptures will be featured downtown. Many will arrive precarved but others are scheduled to be carved live Saturday or Sunday. Among them will be Joy the Duck, Lobster, Tug Boat, Moose, Otter, and many other designs.

Several of the downtown restaurants are offering drink and food specials all weekend. 

Limited tickets will be available at the door for Friday evening’s kick off event, the Taste of Belfast, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Waldo County Shrine Club.

Attendee’s will enjoy music by Jonesville and appetizers provided by Rollie’s Bar & Grill, Delvino’s Grill & Pasta House, Nautilus Seafood & Grill, Front Street Pub, The Moody Dog, and Darby’s Restaurant. Marshall Wharf Brewing is providing beer and Vinolio is providing a special mocktail. Attendees will also receive a reusable Ice Festival Mug to use all weekend.

Also on Friday evening, enjoy the Magical Luminary Walk along the Harborwalk and hosted by Coastal Mountain Land Trust. With the Belfast Garden Club, they will create an enchanted walk using ice block luminaries that will be lit from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.

To keep warm, they are also offering hot cocoa donated by the Belfast Community Co-op. The trail will be lit again on Saturday evening but without the cocoa.

Saturday will showcase the second Annual State of Maine Ice Carving Competition sponsored by Rollie’s Bar & Grill and Rollie’s Remote Catering.

Eight teams are participating at the corner of Main and Cross streets from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Judging will take place promptly at 3 p.m. by community judges. Cash prizes will be awarded to first, second, and third place.

Family-friendly activities will take place around downtown at various times between 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Saturday.

The Park on Main will host the Waldo County YMCA, Little River Church, the Boy Scouts, Belfast Area High School Girl’s Soccer Team, Belfast Parks & Recreation, and the UU Church of Belfast in colorful “carnival booths”, each offering a children’s activity.

Further down the hill at the Belfast Area Chamber of Commerce, 14 Main Street, there will be horse and carriage rides sponsored by Colburn Shoe Store, beginning at 11 a.m. The building will also be open as a warming station offering popcorn and hot cocoa. In the afternoon, warm up at Belfast Fiberarts, 171 High Street, and participate in the weaving and felting activities they are offering. 

Delvino’s Grill & Pasta House will close out the weekend by hosting a Kid’s Ice Fest Party from 4– 5 p.m. Attendee’s can decorate their own cookies, put together a craft, have their face painted by Kids Unplugged, use the photo booth, and enjoy light up ice drinks. 

Other weekend activities include a poem story walk provided by the Belfast Free Library. Poems will be placed in store windows Saturday and Sunday and feature a winter theme.

Marshall Wharf Brewing is offering live music both Friday and Saturday nights. Take an Ice Class at Front Street Pub on Friday and learn all you did not know about ice. Let DoryWoman Rowing take you on an ice row and discover the beauty of Belfast from the harbor.

The full schedule of weekend activities follows and can be found at ourtownbelfast.org/ice-festival/. 

FRIDAY

• All Day: Ice Sculptures on display throughout downtown.
• Ice Row with DoryWoman Rowing in Belfast Harbor.
• 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.: Fur, Feathers and Feet: Chewonki Traveling Natural History Presentation at the Belfast Free Library.
• 5:00 – 8:00 p.m.: Live music at Marshall Wharf Brewing – Fully Funktional.
• 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.: Magical Luminary Trail on the Belfast Rail Trail by Coastal Mountain Land Trust.
• 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.: Taste of Belfast at the Waldo County Shrine Club. 
• 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.: Ice Class at the Front Street Pub.

SATURDAY

• All Day: Ice Sculptures on display throughout downtown.
• All Day: Poem Story Walk around downtown by the Belfast Free Library.
• Ice Row with DoryWoman Rowing in Belfast Harbor. 
• 10:00 a.m. – Live Ice Sculpture Carving of a Unicorn sponsored by Belfast Parks & Recreation at the Park on Main. Time is subject to change.
• 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.: Children’s Activities at the Park on Main (33 Main Street).
• 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.: Horse drawn Carriage Rides at the Belfast Area Chamber of Commerce (14 Main Street). Sponsored by Colburn Shoe Store.
• 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.: Warming station with cocoa and popcorn at the Belfast Area Chamber of Commerce (14 Main Street)
• 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. 2nd Annual State of Maine Ice Carving Championship at the lot on the corner of Main and Cross Street. Sponsored by Rollie’s Bar and Grill and Rollie’s Remote Catering.
• 12:30 p.m.: Live Ice Sculpture Carving of a Moose sponsored by Bangor Savings Bank in the MALL on High Street courtyard (171 High Street). Time subject to change.
• 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.: Weaving and Felting activities for families. Warm up indoors at Belfast Fiberarts (171 High Street).
• 1:30 p.m.: Live Ice Sculpture Carving of an Anchor sponsored by and carved at Nautilus Seafood & Grill (3 Main Street).
• 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.: Magical Luminary Trail on the Belfast Rail Trail by Coastal Mountain Land Trust.
• 8:00 – 11:00 p.m.: Live music at Marshall Wharf Brewing – Unknown.

SUNDAY

• All Day: Ice Sculptures on display throughout downtown.
• All Day: Poem Story Walk around downtown by the Belfast Free Library.
• Ice Row with DoryWoman Rowing in Belfast Harbor. 
• 10:00 a.m.: Live Ice Sculpture Carving of a Lobster sponsored by Our Town Belfast in Post Office Square.
• 11:00 a.m.: Live Ice Sculpture Carving  sponsored by Rollie’s Bar and Grill in their lot (39 Main Street). The sculpture is the carver’s choice and will be a surprise! 
• 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.: Kid’s Ice Fest Party at Delvino’s Grill and Pasta House (52 Main Street).
• 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.: Magical Luminary Trail on the Belfast Rail Trail by Coastal Mountain Land Trust.