The City of Harrisburg presents the 8th annual Ice & Fire Festival on Saturday, March 1, 2025 from 11am-7pm. This free event will feature 60+ large and small ice sculptures throughout the City and a Downtown street festival with an ice slide, fire dancers, live ice carvings, fire pits and smores, performances by local school and community groups, kids activities, vendors, and more. Ice sculptures will be along the Downtown street festival path on North 2nd Street and Market Street, as well as City Island, Midtown, Italian Lake, Shipoke, & Reservoir Park. The sculptures will be illuminated starting at 5pm.
View the event schedule, parking options, road closures, and more below.
SPONSORS: Visit Hershey & Harrisburg, Explore HBG, Staybridge Suites Harrisburg Hershey, Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District, and Park Harrisburg.
Event Schedule
Saturday, March 1, 2025
- 11am-7pm: Downtown street festival on 2nd Street between Market & Pine Street featuring an ice slide, fire dancers, live ice carvings, fire pits and smores, performances by local school and community groups, free kids activities, food trucks, artisan market, vendors, and more.
- Starting at 11am: View 60+ ice sculptures throughout the City. The sculptures will be illuminated starting at 5pm. The sculptures will remain in place throughout the day and the days that follow as weather permits.
- DOWNTOWN – 2nd Street from Market to State Streets, Market Street from 2nd to 4th Streets, & SoMa (3rd Street from Market to Chestnut)
- CITY ISLAND
- ITALIAN LAKE
- MIDTOWN – 3rd Street from Forster to Reily
- RESERVOIR PARK– near the bandshell on Reservoir Dr
- SHIPOKE– along Riverfront Park near Conoy & Tuscarora Streets
- All Day: Drink specials from participating locations throughout the City. View all specials and hours of participating businesses in the program guide when available.
- Various time throughout the day: Local businesses across the City will offer a variety of activities, such as horse drawn carriage rides, live ice carvings and more. View all details in the program guide.
FIRE DANCERS
Watch performers as they entertain with a series of 15 minute fire dancing performances at 5pm & 7pm on March 1.
GIANT ICE SLIDE
Attendees of all ages can take a free ride on the 30-ft ice slide throughout the festival on March 1 from 11am-7pm.
ICE SKATING RINK
Update to come on if the ice skating rink will return to the 2025 event.
60+ ICE SCULPTURES
More than 60 ice sculptures will be on display throughout the City on March 1 starting at 11am. They will be illuminated starting at 5pm. Be sure to participate in the scavenger hunt for the chance to win a prize basket filled with gift cards and other goodies from local businesses.
FIRE PITS & SMORES
250 free smores kits will be distributed at the start of each hour of the festival from 11am-7pm on March 2. Roasting sticks will be provided courtesy of Boulder & Branch.
LIVE ICE CARVINGS
Watch as one of our talented ice carvers from Ice Concepts brings an ice sculpture to life along the festival route on 2nd Street. Check the event guide when available for the time and location.
Local ice carver Katie Trainer will also do live carvings of two ice sculptures at the Harrisburg Beach Club on City Island.
ICE & FIRE THEMED DRINK SPECIALS
Stop by participating businesses throughout the City for ice and fire themed drink specials. A list of participating businesses will be included in the event guide and map.
ARTIST MARKET
Shop a variety of handcrafted items from local makers such as pottery, clothing, jewelry, candles and more! More than 25 artisans will be inside and outside of the City Government Center from 11am-7pm on March 1. The HBG Flea will also be taking place at nearby Strawberry Square from 10am-4pm to shop even more handcrafted wares.
HEATED SEATING TENT
Warm up at the heated seating tent throughout the festival on March 1 from 11am-7pm!
HORSE CARRIAGE RIDES
Benchfield Farms will be offering horse carriage rides for up to 4 adults from 12-7pm on March 1. Rides will depart from 2nd & Locust Street and offer great views of the City, including the Capitol building. Advance registration is recommended and can be made by calling or texting Traci at 717-448-8464 or messaging Benchfield Farms on Facebook. Walk-ups will be accepted as space permits for a slightly increased rate. Cash and credit card accepted (there is a $3 processing fee if paying by card).
$55 – 15 minute ride (w/ advance sign-up)
$105 – 30 minute ride (w/ advance sign-up)
KIDS ACTIVITIES
There will be free face painting and balloon animals to keep the kids entertained on March 1 from 11am-7pm.
ENTERTAINMENT STAGE
Enjoy dance, instrumental, and vocal performances by youth and community groups from across the region at the stage from 11am-7pm on March 1. The popular fire dancers will also perform at the stage at 5pm & 7pm.
Ice Sculpture Scavenger Hunt
Participate in the Ice & Fire Festival Scavenger Hunt Contest during the event for the chance to win gift cards from City of Harrisburg businesses. Follow these steps to participate and read the full contest rules here.
- Scan the QR code on the ice sculpture sign using your mobile device’s camera. You will be directed to an online form.
- Enter your email on the form. Each ice sculpture = one entry, but you must visit AT LEAST 10 ice sculptures to be eligible to win. The more you visit, the better your chances of winning!
- Two winners will be randomly selected to win gift cards & prizes from the City of Harrisburg businesses listed below. All entrants will be notified by email by Friday, March 8.
*If you do not have a mobile device capable of scanning a QR code, you may submit a photo of each ice sculpture you visit via Facebook Messenger to @CityofHBG
Plan Your Visit
PARKING:
Downtown – Street parking is free after 5pm on Saturday in the designated Downtown area (see map here) and free all day on Sunday. Get 4 hours of free Downtown street parking using the code LUVHBG on the Parkmobile app. A discounted $10 rate from 10am-10pm is available at the Market Square Garage courtesy of Park Harrisburg on March 2. The Walnut Street and Chestnut Street garages will also be available (standard rates apply).
City Island – Free parking is available.
Midtown – Free parking at the Greenworks Development parking lots #2 and #4 at Reily and Logan St. Free 2 hour parking in the parking lots at Fulton and Verbeke St. Metered street parking is available.
Italian Lake – Street parking is available
Reservoir Park – Free parking in the parking lot off of Reservoir Dr.
Shipoke – Metered street parking available.
ROAD CLOSURES:
Friday, February 28
- 2nd Street will be closed between Market & Walnut Street starting at 9am.
Saturday, March 1
- 2nd Street will be closed between Market and Pine Street from 7am-midnight. Note that you will not be able to enter the River Street Garage at this time.
- Market Street will be closed between Front and 2nd Street from 7am-midnight.
TRANSIT:
Free Shuttles
Krapf School Buses will offer a free ADA accessible shuttle bus between City Island, Downtown, & Midtown on March 1. See the shuttle stop locations on the event map. The schedule is as follows:
- City Island (in the parking lot near the Walnut Street Bridge)
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- bus departs every 30 minutes starting at 11am and ending at 7pm.
- The last drop off to City Island will be after the 7:15pm Midtown pick-up.
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- Downtown (bus stop at 2nd & Market)
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- bus departs every 30 minutes starting at 11:05am and ending at 7:05pm
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- Midtown (on Verbeke Street near the Broad Street Market)
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- bus departs every 30 minutes starting at 11:15am and ending at 7:15pm
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Public Transit
- The train station is located Downtown with easy access to ice sculptures, the street festival, restaurants and more.
- Bus stops are located throughout all neighborhoods. View the bus schedule.
LODGING:
Stay in the City for the weekend to explore everything it has to offer in addition ot the festival. There are several hotels, bed & breakfasts, and other accommodations available. Learn more at www.explorehbg.com/stay
Plan Your Visit
HARRISBURG ARTS DISTRICT
The Harrisburg Arts District is a walkable area within the downtown, midtown, and riverfront areas. It is comprised of theatres, museums, galleries, public art, and performance venues.
SWEET TREAT TRAIL
Satisfy your sweet tooth by making stops at local bakeries, creameries, candy stores, and more throughout the City. Sign up for Visit Hershey & Harrisburg’s free mobile passport and check in to the locations you visit by entering a PIN code you’ll receive at checkout. Each check in is worth 50 points which are redeemable for prizes.
BREW BARONS BEER TRAIL
Visit 30+ Pennsylvania craft breweries in the Hershey & Harrisburg region, including 5 in the City! Download Visit Hershey & Harrisburg’s Brew Barons Beer Trail app on your phone and check into the locations you visit to earn prizes.
MURALS & MORE TRAIL
The City of Harrisburg is home to more than 40 colorful murals, inspiring architecture, and monuments. Choose from 2 routes to explore 30+ of these public art locations during an audio-led walking tour. The 3rd Street loop is perfect for exploring both ice sculptures and public art while in town for the Ice & Fire Festival! Use the Visit Hershey & Harrisburg mobile passport to check in along the way to earn a prize.
ADVENTURE TRAIL
The Visit Hershey & Harrisburg Adventure Trail highlights outdoor experiences for hiking, biking, kayaking and family fun. Go for a stroll on the scenic 21 miles of the Capital Area Greenbelt, explore 8 trails at Wildwood Park, paddle along the Susquehanna River or head just outside the City for more adventures.
RESTAURANTS
The City of Harrisburg is home to many fantastic restaurants offering a wide variety of cuisine to choose from. Whether you want a 5-course feast, farm-to-table meal, a classic sports bar, or something to-go, our locally-owned restaurants have you covered.
Event Sponsors
The City of Harrisburg relies on community partners to produce the Ice & Fire Festival. Sponsors receive extensive media coverage, on-site promotion, promotional listings on billboards and marketing materials, guest speaker opportunities and much more. Please contact Cortney Ranck-Cameron at 717-255-3033 or [email protected] for more information about sponsorship opportunities.
Vendors
A shopping vendor has a product available for purchase onsite to create a shopping experience for event attendees. If you provide a service or a product that is delivered to the customer outside of the event, you should complete the sponsorship form to apply for a space instead. No political products of any kind can be sold or on display at the festival. Applications are due Friday, December 27.
The online application canbe found here.
The PDF application can be found here.
Event Images
