The crowds of August may be gone and with them the balmy weather, but that doesn’t mean downtown Portland closes up shop.
Instead, intrepid Portlanders have learned to embrace the seasonal blanket of ice and snow with a healthy dose of outdoor sports and indoor cultural activities mixed with just the right amount of fortifying libations.
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This year, the city devotes an entire week to a new festival called Portland on Ice.
The party kicks off tonight with the annual Portland Harbor Hotel Ice Bar, which enters its eighth year this weekend.
“It’s a great way to get people out to enjoy the winter,” said Gerard Kiladjian, general manager of the hotel. “We’ve had so much fun with it for so many years.”
At press time, tickets for both Friday and Saturday night had already sold out, but there were about 100 available for tonight. Tickets can be purchased online until 2 p.m., with any leftovers available at the door.
The popular event always draws a crowd, and with good reason. Outside in the hotel’s courtyard, partygoers will find three bars chiseled from ice by professional ice carver Jeff Day. One will serve beers from Shipyard Brewing Company while the other two serve Hollywood-themed martinis made with Smirnoff vodka.
The cocktails include the All About Eve Apple Crisp Martini made with Smirnoff Whipped Cream vodka; the Chocolat, made with Smirnoff Fluffed Marshmallow vodka; the King’s Peach, made with Smirnoff Peach vodka; and the Cool Hand Luke, which is a classic martini.
Situated around the courtyard will be ice sculptures created by Day, including one perfect for photo ops. Guests can keep warm by the fire pits and under the heaters, or they can head inside where they’ll find two full bars, a DJ spinning dance tracks, a chocolate fountain and a selection of appetizers from local restaurants, including Pai Men Miyake, Sonny’s, Kamasouptra, Zapoteca and GoBerry.
A portion of the proceeds from the Ice Bar will be donated to Share Our Strength of Southern Maine, Gary’s House and the Ronald McDonald House. Last year, the hotel donated $15,000 from the event to three local nonprofits.
Beginning with the Ice Bar, the Portland on Ice festival roars to life with a week filled with events.
“The idea is that there’s so much going on in Portland during the winter, and we really wanted to showcase what goes on,” said Will Ethridge, events and marketing manager for Portland’s Downtown District, which is coordinating the festival.
Throughout the weekend, the Portland Museum of Art will screen the HD ski film “One for the Road.” Shot on location with top snow sport athletes, the film chronicles mountain rides in the U.S., Iceland, Japan, Canada and Europe.
Back outside, ice carver Day will unveil two public ice sculptures on Saturday. At 10 a.m., he’ll present one in Post Office Park in the Old Pvort, and at 11 a.m., he’ll deliver another in front of the Portland Museum of Art.
A midweek highlight of the festival comes in the form of the Downtown Photo Scavenger Hunt. Taking place Tuesday to Feb. 2, the event starts at 11 a.m. and requires a team of five and a Facebook account.
Each day, a list of categories will be posted on the Portland Downtown District’s Facebook page. Teams will then have until 5 p.m. to snap a picture of all the listed items and upload them to Facebook. One group will be declared the winner each day, and will receive a $100 gift certificate to a downtown business of their choice.
When it comes to winter sports, the experts plan to bring the state’s frozen lakes and ski slopes to the city.
On Feb. 2-3, the Kittery Trading Post and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife will offer ice fishing demonstrations in Tommy’s Park in the Old Port. In order to offer the event, organizers first plan to erect a water feature in the park and stock it with live fish.
The water will include a fish viewing station, and all the demonstrations will be catch and release.
During the First Friday Art Walk on Feb. 3, Sunday River and Sugarloaf will once again present the annual Downtown Showdown Rail Jam in Monument Square. Thirty top skiers and snowboarders will compete under the lights on the custom-built terrain. Judging by past showdowns, a big crowd layered in winter gear will be there to cheer the athletes on.
Hockey fans can check out Portland Pirates games this weekend and next, and all throughout the week, live music, art and children’s events will take place across town.
With lots of activities to choose from, Portland on Ice proves that when the cold descends, it doesn’t stop the city from heating up.
Staff Writer Avery Yale Kamila can be contacted at 791-6297 or at:
akamila@pressherald.com
Twitter: AveryYaleKamila
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