Ice festival draws thousands of people to Cripple Creek

Warm temperatures are hitting Colorado, but it was a cool down in Cripple Creek for the largest winter event in southern Colorado.

The annual Cripple Creek Ice Festival started Saturday.

Thousands of people from all over the U.S. came out to watch history come alive. The theme for this year’s event is the old west.

“Cripple Creek, you know, this is a gold mining town from way back. We’re just trying to represent some of the history and heritage of this unique town,” ice sculptor Dan Rebholz said.

Spectators at the event said they enjoy coming to the festival every year.

“This is all really cool, these ice sculptures are really cool,” spectator Tristan Gates said.

“I really like the ice sculptures that they carve,” spectator Zoe Jones said.

Rebholz said it was a challenge to carve the ice sculptures because of the warm weather. He said the warm weather could make a sculpture implode. He said he would have to carve the ice either early in the morning or late at night. But, Rebholz said the appreciation from people when they see the statues is what makes the stress and hard work worth it in the end.

The event will be going on through next Sunday. Admission to the festival is free.