Updated schedule for Ithaca Winter Fest

Downtown Ithaca’s annual Parade of Ice and Winter Festival has expanded for 2010 and will include an international ice carving competition, Ithaca’s Ice Wars, as well as the 1st annual Chowder Cook-Off. On Friday December 10th and Saturday December 11th Downtown Ithaca will play host to world-class ice carvers demonstrating their craft live on the Commons. Friday’s action gets started at 5pm with a one block “carve and deliver” challenge. Carvers will have three hours to carve and deliver an ice sculpture to a downtown location. Saturday’s festivities start at 8am and will include two rounds of ice carving competitions with the final competition being an officially sanctioned event by the National Ice Carving Association. In addition to the Ice Wars taking place on Friday and Saturday, Downtown Ithaca will also host a Chowder Festival on Saturday, December 11th from 12noon to 4pm on the Commons. Similar in format to the Chili Cook-off that takes place in February; twenty restaurants will compete for the title of Downtown Ithaca’s best chowder. Attendees to the winter festival will be able to purchase tickets to taste a variety of chowders and determine the winners through a people’s choice ballot system. For more information on Ithaca’s Ice Wars, the Chowder Cook-Off and all of Downtown Ithaca’s planned holiday events visit downtownithaca.com. Friday, December 105pm – 8pm Ice Wars Ice Carving Competition Round OneCarve and Deliver – Sixteen world class ice sculptors will have 3 hours to carve and deliver intricate sculptures to various locations on and around the Ithaca Commons. Saturday, December 118am to 12noon – Ice Wars Ice Carving Competition Round TwoSpeed Carving – 20 minute Single Elimination Speed Carving11am to 5pm – Holiday Artists MarketTwenty two artists display their works at the Women’s Community Building www.artspartner.org12noon to 4pm – 1st Annual Downtown Ithaca Chowder Cook-offRestaurants compete and you are the judge! Purchase tasting tickets to sample chowder ($10 for 10 tickets)2pm to 7pm – Ice Wars Ice Carving Competition – Third and Final Round!Four hour National Ice Carving Association sanctioned two block carving competition.