Grab An Ice Pick, Head Down to Brick Market Place

By: Kimberly Osborne
Posted In: News

On a cold Valentine’s Day in Newport, a man starts up his chainsaw while another sharpens his ice pick. Could it be the story of love torn men getting revenge on a fair maiden on the day set aside for lovers?

No, it’s the story of ice carvers preparing to attack three hundred pound blocks of ice at Newport’s ice carving competition.

The competition, which is a staple of Newport’s annual Winter Festival, will take place on Saturday, February 14, 2004 at 9 a.m. at Brick Market Place. Judges will be handing out awards at 3 p.m.

Previously operated by Bowen’s Wharf, the event, which will be broadcast live on WADK 1540, is now being hosted by The Brick Market Merchant’s Association in an effort to bring business to the shopping center and form a better reputation with the community.

Terry Rowley, the president of the Brick Market Merchant’s association, the Ice Carving Competition coordinator and owner of Personalities and Blast From the Past, both located in the Brick Market, has volunteered two hundred hours of research and preparation for the event since he took on the responsibility of coordinating it the day after Christmas.

Rowley had been trying for three years to get the opportunity to coordinate the Newport Winter Festival’s primary event and said it will cost about $3,000 by the time it is over.

“I’m not one to do things small,” said Rowley.

The competition itself takes place on day two of the Winter Festival but the ice carving festivities begin on Friday the thirteenth when an ice carver comes to Newport and sculpts a penguin playing the saxophone in honor of the Festival’s theme.

The theme of the winter Festival this year is “Jazz it up at the Newport Winter Festival;” the Competitor who best portrays this theme will win two round trip airline tickets provided by southwest airlines.

A category new to the event, installed to get the crowd involved, is the People’s Choice award, which will send a competitor home with $100 in gift certificates.

Each person entering the contest must pay a $25 entrance fee. On the day of the competition each competitor will receive two, three hundred-pound blocks of ice provided by Art in Ice and an area of at least eight square feet to work in but must provide his or her own tools.

The ice sculptures will be judged based on artistic achievement and strength of design, craftsmanship, finished appearance, originality and degree of difficulty and the Best of Theme.

A $500 cash prize will be awarded to the first place winner, second place will receive $300, third place will receive $100 and fourth place is worth $50. Donated gift certificates will accompany the cash prizes.

Contestants will receive a pair of tickets to the upcoming Beatlemania concert in addition to free parking for the event. Subway of Brick Market Place will provide nourishment to the sculptors with complimentary sandwiches.

“We want to have one hellacious event,” said Rowley.