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Warmer weather moves in for ice festival in Lackawanna County

A warmup has arrived just in time for Clarks Summit's 20th annual Festival of Ice.

CLARKS SUMMIT, Pa. — The Clarks Summit Festival of Ice is back this weekend for its 20th anniversary. 

The event lasts all weekend, and features live bands, games, horse-drawn carriage rides, and a parade. The streets are lined with massive ice sculptures, and artists will demonstrate with live ice carvings throughout the day.

Two decades ago, a business owner in Clarks Summit wanted to encourage people to shop local this time of year, and from that, the Festival of Ice was born.

"During the dead of the winter when merchants aren't as busy, it's after Christmas, and they're not making any money. So, he started this festival—twofold, to get people out, and to also get the merchants some extra foot traffic through the town," Janice Bevaqua said.

This year's Festival of Ice comes just in time for a weather warmup. But the event organizers, the Abington Business and Professional Association, think that will actually get more people out to celebrate. And the artists aren't too worried, either.

"It's not ideal, but we've carved in the rain before. We've carved when it's 50 degrees out. I've carved when it's 60 degrees out. It's nothing new," said Elijah Hogan from Sculpted Ice Works.

Hogan is from Milford and is the head carver at Sculpted Ice Works. He gave us a little preview of what the living carvings will look like this weekend.

"There were some that we had to alter. If there's anything that's less than four inches in diameter, it would melt in one day and fall apart," Hogan explained.

This weekend's festival will also feature live music, food, horse-drawn carriages, and a crowd favorite: the first responders carving contest. 

"It's local community members that we all know, and it's just that much more fun to cheer them on," Heather Percival said.

This year's theme for the Festival of Ice is "Jurassic Ice!" The Clarks Summit Festival of Ice will kick off with an opening parade scheduled for Friday at 6:30 p.m. Newswatch 16's Scott Schaffer will be the emcee.

For more information on the festivities, click here.

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