LAKE WALLENPAUPACK -- If you were planning to go to the first-ever Wally Ice Fest at Lake Wallenpaupack next week, you're going to have to wait.
The event near Hawley has been postponed until next month because the ice on the lake isn't safe.
Only a few ice fishermen were out on the ice on Lake Wallenpaupack near Hawley on Wednesday because the ice isn't as thick as it should be for this time of year.
The warm weather is putting a damper on another activity -- the first Wally Ice Fest.
"On Sunday, we went out and drilled a few test holes and the ice was around seven inches but with the forecast, we felt the ice wouldn't be safe enough," said Keith Williams, Lake Wallenpaupack Visitors Center Manager.
The Ice Fest was scheduled for next weekend, but ice conditions are a little dicey. Members of the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau decided to postpone the event until next month.
The hope is to have a lot of people on the ice participating in a number of different activities. To ensure everyone's safety, the ice needs to be about eight to ten inches thick. It's not there now, and event coordinators don't think it will be there by next week.
Michelle Nuss from Hawley says her family has a little cabin fever. They were hoping the weather would cooperate.
"People really need something to participate in and to get together and look forward to. It's a great event," said Nuss.
Activities are planned on different parts of the lake. A lot of events are scheduled in front of Silver Birches Resort.
"We are disappointed that we have to postpone it, but it will be great when we have it in February, the 25th and 26th, and we will have two nine-hole golf courses set up and six rinks of ice hockey. Curling this year is something new, too. It will bring a lot of people to the area," said Craig Ehrhardt, The Dock Restaurant Manager.
Event coordinators will check the ice thickness again on February 10 to see if it's safe.
For more information on Wally Ice Fest, click here.