The opening date is now finalized after a challenging start to the ice castles’ construction. Visitors can begin touring the winter destination at 11 a.m. Jan. 15 in Soldier Hollow.
Head of marketing Maren Timmerman said it’s been difficult to build the castles this winter.
“With December being unseasonably warm, that really set us back because we started construction in November,” she said. “And then with the warmer weather, that melted some of the castles. We were kind of restarting from scratch.”
The castles’ builders, known as “ice artisans,” welcomed this week’s cold snap to ease construction and confirm the opening.
“With winter finally here, we’ve been able to really start to get our castles back up and growing,” Timmerman said. “We’re really excited about the season.”
She said the ice artisans are working “around the clock” to get the site ready for the public. It includes ice tunnels, fountains, slides, towers and more.
This year, Ice Castles’ partner the Soda Bar will offer winter-themed hot chocolate and soda drinks as well.
The original opening date was scheduled for Jan. 13.
Timmerman said anyone with tickets reserved for days when Ice Castles isn’t yet open will be refunded or offered an alternative date.
Tickets for Ice Castles are available online. The destination typically remains open through February.
