Ice Carving Festival in Medina, Ohio

Medina, Ohio is located 35 miles south of Cleveland via highway I-71. Click for a map on Google, Yahoo, or Mapquest. The Victorian architecture of the Public Square reminds of New England. The official slogan is "Medina - a city cut from the Connecticut Western Reserve in the heartland of northern Ohio." Medina started as a village in 1818 and now has a population of 25,000 and growing.

It was in the middle of February, when we traveled to Medina to enjoy the annual Medina Ice Carving Festival. There are amateur and professional competitions, and more than 20,000 people visit the four-day free event. The Ice Carving Festival is in downtown Medina, at the Public Square, surrounded by historic building and friendly shops and restaurants. The event and parking are free.


To go to Medina Ice Festival, take I-71 south to exit 222. Then follow route 3 South all the way until you see the downtown historic square. Route 3 passes right through the center of Medina.

The Historic Public Square


The Medina County Courthouse was built in 1841. See the Square Clock Tower. You can park just behind this building, on route 3 (on your left in this picture).


The town square is surrounded by old historic buildings from 1870s. These are the historic houses on the south side of Public Square. From left to right, you can see The Gazette and the Town Hall (in bright red) buildings, then the Engine House built in 1887, the Reinhardt Building, 1880, and the Munson Building, 1879. These buildings were built after the great fire of 1870.

The Ice Carving Festival


Ice Lion; Elephant


Water gallery - boat, dolphin, fish, turtle


The sun and the moon


Pineapple, flower, eagle, dog and a castle


I know that the bankers can achieve anything but how did they get the pennies inside the ice pig?


Ice sculptures are around the gazebo in the middle of the square, and also along the streets with shops offering irresistible hot chocolate, especially in the fierce February weather. Whatever the weather is, if you go to Medina for the Ice Festival, you will enjoy it.

Related:
Wikipedia
Historical buildings in Medina
Postcards from Medina
Annual Medina Ice Festival - see the video clips
Location: Medina Square, time: in the middle of each February
Official website, Medina Square.com, Ohio Festivals and Events, Medina winter - About.com.
Icy days and nights. Boston.com Big Picture Photos, 01/2009.

Photos:
Ice Sculpture Festival, Medina Ohio. Webshots.
Slideshow for album 2007 Medina Ice Festival.

Updated: 01/06/2009