The recent freeze overtaking New England has a genuine upside: it’s allowed the Ice Castles in New Hampshire to open almost a full week earlier than expected.
The North Woodstock winter attraction, in its 11th season this year, includes slides, caverns, tunnels, crawl spaces and sculptures all made from ice. About 20 artists grow and harvest icicles, then hand-place them one-by-one to create the hulking, 25-foot-tall LED-embedded castles.
Read more: Warm weather delays opening for NH Ice Castles; here’s the new date
Ice Castle organizers had originally hoped for late December to early January to open, but said on Dec. 29 the “warm weather has not been our friend,” and had to delay opening until mid- to late-January. However, the weather took a turn in the new year.
The official, hard opening date has been set for Saturday, Jan. 20, at 2 p.m., Ice Castles spokesperson Maren Timmerman said on Sunday.
Timmerman explained “colder temperatures made opening earlier possible,” and said the previously anticipated start date had been for the following Friday.
The artisans “are working around the clock” to get the White Mountains’ winter wonderland ready, and Timmerman said the attractions will include the Polar Ice Bar, frozen thrones, fountains, horse-drawn sleighs through a forest, a snow tubing hill and mystic light walk.
Read more: Ice Castles in New Hampshire to open with new castle design, slides and bar
“We’re excited to finally announce our opening day in New Hampshire,” said Ice Castles CEO Kyle Standifird.
“We have such a great love for our New England community and we are excited to welcome them a week early.”
Tickets starting at $20 for adults and $15 for children are available for purchase through the attraction’s website, IceCastles/com/New-Hampshire. Organizers advise purchasing tickets online in advance for guaranteed entry and the lowest price.
Tickets have been on sale since late November. Available dates for the New Hampshire attraction are Jan. 20 through Feb. 25.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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