On January 28, 2023, hundreds of people enjoyed Camden's annual Winterfest by gathering in Camden’s Amphitheatre and Harbor Park to create their own ice sculptures and watch the carvers at work, parade their dressed-up dogs for a fashion show, eat hot dogs and hot soup, make crafts indoors, join in the Story Walk, and run into the frigid harbor. This year’s Camden Winterfest­—the 20th annual—was a classic celebration of winter and community.

Winterfest is presented by the Winterfest Committee and the Camden Public Library with generous support from First National Bank. The Winterfest Committee would like to thank the many individuals and businesses for making this wintertime celebration a success.

Business support included generous in-kind donations of delicious food from French & Brawn Marketplace, Marriners Restaurant, Laugh Loud Smile Big, and Hannaford Supermarket in Camden. Thank you to Amanda, Angie, Chelsea, Ashley, and Marissa from First National Bank for running the food table.

Ice carving was made possible by master ice carver Tim Pierce, Hector Pietra-Santa, Matt Brown, Silas Mehuren, and Hank Lunn. Lisa Rankin and Rankin’s Hardware also provided extraordinary support.

Carving teams included Sweet Tree Arts, Station Maine, Camden Windward House, the Riley School, Silas Mehuren, Jaime Hayward Walsh, and Jim Reitz.

Thank you to Dave Jackson, Ken Gross, Bill McLellan, and the Captain Swift Inn for individual sponsorships.

Thank you to Dave Jackson, Bob Oxton, Al Cooper, and the rest of the Winterfest volunteers for ensuring that the Amphitheatre was safe and ready for Winterfest.

This year’s Doggie Fashion Show was one to remember, thanks to donations from The Maine Dog, as well as support from Hector Pietra-Santa and Rankin’s Hardware. Thank you to Amy Hand, Youth Services Manager at Camden Public Library, for her wonderful children’s activities, and to Matt Brown for the music. Thank you to Lynne Brown and Anne Aldrige-Peacock of SunDog Outdoor Expeditions for once again hosting the exhilarating Polar Plunge.

Finally, thank you to all who attended Winterfest and for the energy and joy you brought to this long-standing tradition. Together, our efforts created something wonderful and memorable for our community.

We can't wait for next year!

Julia Sagaser and Ken Gross, for the Winterfest Committee