UPDATE as of 10:30am, Jan. 28: Because of the weather forecast, Friday’s events will begin earlier, at 3pm rather than 5pm and run until 9pm. The time for Saturday’s events will be earlier – 12-6pm. The ice sculptures will remain on display until Sunday afternoon (Jan. 30) for viewing.
Break up the January doldrums with the Cambridge Ice & Oyster Fest Jan. 28-29, featuring more than 40 ice sculptures, master ice carver demonstrations, kids’ games, oysters, craft beer, artisan cocktails, fire pits, s’mores stations, a shucking and slurping oyster contest, and more!
• FRIDAY: The downtown events begin Friday, January 28 from 3pm to 9pm. Enjoy the oyster bars, festival ice bar, fire pits, s’more’s, ice carver demo, and all of the events originally scheduled. Most of the sculptures will be lit up at night, so that’s the most dramatic time to see them!
• SATURDAY: After volunteer crews shovel some walkways, the festival will open from 12 to 6pm as a ‘winter wonderland.’ Some of the activities such as the s’more’s and fire pits will be curtailed because of the wind, but the sculptures will be open in a beautiful snowy world for you to wander and wonder at!
• SUNDAY: To help make sure everyone gets an opportunity to see the fabulous ice sculptures, they’ll remain up until Sunday afternoon!
This free event in Downtown Cambridge (in Cannery Way, the brick courtyard in the 400 block of Race Street plus in the parking lot behind Chesapeake College – access from Academy Street) will feature more than 40 dazzling ice sculptures showcasing the best of winter, wildlife and Shore ways coupled with kid-friendly ice games. Adults can chill out feasting on local wild and farm-raised oysters, craft beer and artisan cocktails served at the Fest’s signature ice bar.
Swing a golf club at the putting “green” made of ice. Play shuffle puck on ice. Toss a beanbag into a frosty cornhole board. There will be a hunting blind, kayak, dead rise (workboat), skipjack, a Chesapeake Bay retriever, even Harriet Tubman – all made of ice! Top carvers will show off their artistry at demonstrations.
Take part in or just watch the Oyster Shuck & Slurp Relay – see how fast your two-person team can shuck and slurp a dozen oysters! (Register here; space is limited to the first 12 teams.)
To provide a winter warm-up for the family, firepits with s’mores stations will be located along the downtown festival site on Friday (but not on Saturday because of high winds).
Meanwhile, guests of the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Resort can join in the weekend’s fun at the resort with an ice lounge by the fire pit – great for a drink or family photo opportunities!
Participating oyster companies and watermen include Choptank Terrapin Oysters, Hoopers Island Oyster Co., Madhouse Oysters, Pirates Cove Oysters and the Dorchester Seafood Heritage Association.
The event is produced by the Dorchester Chamber of Commerce, Ice Lab, and Choptank Communications.
>> Get the latest info on the festival’s Facebook page and Instagram.
>> Volunteer to help at the event (short shifts and you get a free Ice Lab beanie!):
>> Opportunities to sponsor ice sculptures are available by contacting the Dorchester Chamber of Commerce at 410-228-3575 or info@dorchesterchamber.org.
