The World Ice Art Championships are an important celebration of spring in interior Alaska. Such gatherings, in March, date back to the thirties, when residents emerged from the long winter with an eye for having some fun. Current residents differ little from their winter weary predecessors, but with the advent of airline transportation – visitors from all over Alaska and the World can join the celebration. Ice Alaska is in its 29th year hosting one of the largest annual ice art competitions and exhibitions worldwide. The Fairbanks event, the World Ice Art Championships, has grown from a one-week, 8-team competition in 1990, to a month-long attraction involving over 70 teams from all over the world. The competitions, and the accompanying outdoor winter activities, attract more than 100 ice artists and approximately 45,000 visitors from Alaska and all over the world. The efforts of approximately 300 volunteers and artists, and support from over 100 local businesses and community organizations have made all this possible.

In 1995, the event moved to the middle of Fairbanks, off Phillips Field Road. This allowed Ice Alaska the ability to utilize an enclosed space that could be managed, and the first true Ice Park was born.  The Ice Park spent 16 years on Alaska Railroad property then in 2011 relocated to a private 25-acre property.  Ice Alaska has again made a move, as the economy changes we must change with it.  The organization took a year off in 2018 to re-organize and we have joined with the Tanana Valley Fair Association to use the Fair Grounds as our new winter home.   This venue offers Ice Alaska both the space needed to display world class Ice Art and includes the infrastructure necessary to support the large number volunteers and artists needed to produce the event.  This venue will also allow us to fulfill one of the Ice Alaska dreams, to be able to incorporate more outdoor festivities into our event. 

The World Ice Art Championships provide an opportunity to appreciate breathtaking art and learn about many cultures, since typically one-third of the sculptors and many visitors are of international origin. Ice Alaska has developed programs for teaching ice sculpting in the local schools, and the interactive ice sculptures in the kid’s park are often designed to provide an educational benefit. The Ice Park is a common destination for school field trips and art classes.

The entire Fairbanks community benefits from the increase in winter economic activity and tourism during the month of March. Ice Alaska alone spends about $600,000 locally, for equipment rental, fuel oil, gasoline, food, lodging, printing booklets, chain saw servicing, and other commodities. Ice Alaska has also become an exporter of ice. Fairbanks has the cold temperatures which grow thick, natural ice and has invented impressive harvest techniques. Locally grown ice is exported annually to Anchorage and has been shipped to the Bahamas and as far as Israel. Involvement in Ice Alaska’s activities at the World Ice Art Championships as a sculptor, a volunteer, or as a visitor to the park and kids park, provides healthy, family-centered outdoor activity. We sincerely hope you enjoy the magic of Ice Park and the spring sunshine that breathes new life into our beautiful community.