The Ice Castles, a winter favorite, are coming back to the Twin Cities
The Ice Castles are set to return to the Twin Cities this winter.
The handmade sculptures — featuring frozen thrones, ice-carved tunnels, slides, fountains, ice statues and more — will call Long Lake Regional Park in New Brighton home starting in January of 2022, Ramsey County said.
The castles have been a wintertime staple in Minnesota over the past decade, bouncing from the Mall of America to Eden Prairie, then Stillwater and Excelsior. In the 2019-20 winter, the company behind the event, Ice Castles LLC., moved the attraction to Long Lake Regional Park — which is where it will return following a pandemic-caused cancellation last winter.
The ice used in the construction is "grown on-site," Ramsey County says, with icicles "harvested, and hand-placed by professional ice artisans."
In addition to the usual passageways, slides and artwork, the upcoming Ice Castles run will include an ice sculpture garden and winter light grove.
“We are thrilled to be hosting Ice Castles at Long Lake Regional Park and are hoping for a good old-fashioned cold and snowy Minnesota winter so everyone can enjoy the full beauty Ice Castles will bring to the park," said Mark McCabe, Ramsey County Parks & Recreation director, in the announcement.
The Ice Castles have proven to be quite popular, with tickets usually selling out ahead of time. Admission is $15 for everyone 12 and up Monday through Thursday, and $22 for a weekend slot. For children 4-11 years old, it's $11 and $16. They'll be available to purchase in December.
The castles are typically open January through March, though it's weather-dependent.
The Ice Castles will be in five states during the upcoming season, including Wisconsin, where the attraction will be built at Geneva National Resort & Club in Lake Geneva. New Hampshire, New York and Utah will also host Ice Castles.
