While most of us are looking forward to the warmer temperatures forecast for this weekend — organizers of a Des Moines holiday fundraiser wouldn’t mind cooler weather. Organizers of the Jolly Holiday Lights decided to hire professional ice sculptors to create a unique feature for kids on this 10th anniversary of their annual light display.
Spokesperson Susan Hatten says they knew the weather in Iowa could be unpredictable, but they decided to go ahead anyway. Hatten says it was a gamble, but they like the way it turned out. She says it’s a 50 by 30 foot ice castle filled with 17 groups of ice sculptures. The structure is called the Kid’s Crystal Courtyard.
Hatten say weather was a problem from the very start. Hatten says temperatures were in the 50’s when the sculptors got started, so they had to modify their designs to be thicker and with less detail than originally planned. They ice sculptures were to be open through January 1st — but Hatten says with the forecast calling for temps in the 40’s — things could get sloppy and they may have to shut it down this weekend.
Hatten says they’d hoped to make a splash and they’ve accomplished that with the sculpture’s popularity — and now they may make a splash literally as the temperatures warm up this weekend. The display is open at the Des Moines Waterworks park from 5:30 to nine p.m. It costs nine dollars per carload to see, with the proceeds going to the “Make a Wish Foundation.”