Fire and Ice Festival: Sculptures and chili dishes impress in Mount Holly, New Jersey

MOUNT HOLLY, NJ (WPVI) — “30 years ago some friends and I were having dinner and we had this idea that if you put an ice carver downtown, a bunch of people are going to come and see it,” said Audrey Winzinger.

Winzinger and her friends came with a variety of interests ranging from ice carving to chili cooking. They eventually culminated in what became known as the Mount Holly Fire and Ice Festival.

“It has quite a following, that’s for sure,” Winzinger said as hundreds and hundreds poured onto the High Street.

Perfect weather helped make the event a success after last year’s event was disrupted by a snowstorm. Chefs were busy preparing samples of their secret chili recipes while ice carvers performed live demonstrations for onlookers.

Just Add Ice’s Robert and Monica Lo Furno put on a show when they spotted the images of Spider Man, an eagle and the LOVE statue hidden inside each £200 block.

“Honestly, it’s really hard to carve on your own,” said Robert. “So I can have my partner, my wife, my best friend here to make sure I’m successful, because carving sometimes takes different eyes.”

In previous years, ice carving at the festival has been competitive. But that idea was scrapped in order to let each artist create for fun and engage with the audience.

The chili competition, on the other hand, can really heat up. Chefs have the chance to impress the jury and the general public with their dishes.

“It’s very communal,” said Christine Wendland, chef and owner of HoopHouse in Bordentown. “There are a lot of great cooks out here, a lot of delicious food being served. So we’re really looking forward to all of that.”

This year’s festival has come to an end but is set to return on the last Saturday of January each year. If you want to learn more, visit their website.

TAKE A JOURNEY: From vacant to vibrant, artists transform empty stores into a limited-time exhibition in Atlantic City