Working to continually hone their craft and to share their passion for Ice Art with the public, CICS members participate in various events throughout the National Capital Region as well as establishing their presence across Canada and around the world.
Winterlude
As Canada’s Winter Celebration, the National Capital Commission’s event showcases the Canadian winter traditions in the National Capital Region. The Crystal Garden at Confederation Park is one of 4 sites during the three week festivities where Ice takes new on forms and shapes through team and solo ice carving competitions, large-scale ice art displays, as well as public and media ice carving challenges.
Highlights of ice carvings and activities created over the years for Winterlude:
- 2007 - The creation of an ice replica of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial (2007) to mark the 90th Anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge for Veterans Affairs Canada. The carving weighed 26 ton, measured 5.5 meters in height, utilized 200 blocks of ice and carved by XX ice carvers from Canada, the US and Japan.
- Original Train - what year - thematic behind the train
- Crystal Lounge
Link to photo gallery
2009 VANOC Cultural Olympiad
Working in collaboration with the City of Richmond and the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, CICS organized a team of 12 Canadian Ice Carvers from across the country to create 2 large-scale ice works of 100 blocks each to represent Canada’s cultural diversity and for the inaugural opening of the Olympic Oval Ice Skating Rink.
Project Partners:
Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, City of Richmond,
Canadian Culinary Federation
CICS members on the international stage
CICS members often are invited to compete in international ice carving competitions to represent Canada where they showcase their talents up against some of Asia, American and European’s top ice carvers. CICS members have participated in the following International Ice Carving Competitions as either an ice carver or judge:
- Harbin Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival (China)
- Ice Magic International Ice Carving Competition (Lake Louise, Canada)
- World Ice Art Championships (USA)
- Asahikawa International ice Sculpture Festival (Japan)
- Matsumoto Ice Sculpture Festival (Japan)
- Salekhard Snow & Ice Festival (Russia)
- National Restaurant Association Show - Ice Carving Classic Competition (USA)
- 2006 Olympic Ice Art Championship (Italy)
- 2002 Olympic Ice Art Championship (USA)
Other events in the National Capital Region
CICS members work with other community groups and events in the region, bringing to life blocks of ice. At these events, the public have the opportunity to see ice carvers demonstrating their skills, providing workshops, answering their questions or creating ice art displays. For more information on what services can be offered for your event, contact us.