LEWISBURG, Pa. — The freezing weather on Friday was a perfect start to the Heart of Lewisburg Ice Festival.
The event is a tradition in Union County, filled with activities centered around ice.
Dozens of ice sculptures line Market Street and the main attraction is live carving.
"I love it. It's so beautiful, and this weekend it's very cold, but they'll stay nice and cold, and it will be great," Andrea Paxton said.
The ice festival is good for downtown businesses. People can take advantage of a discount shopping pass. Stores are busy.
"It's just a happy time with happy people. The sidewalks are happy. There are people everywhere. It doesn't matter rain or snow, this one should be a good one, though," Kathy Snyder said.
"It's always something we look forward to because winter days are slow after the holidays. This is always perfect timing when things are really slow and quiet, and people are starting to get antsy and coming out of their houses looking for something to do," Laurie Slear said.
Some store owners say they don't mind the cold weather, after all, it is an ice festival.
"People bundle up, and they come out and expect it to be a cold event. For us store owners, we're hoping it means they come in to warm up and shop a little more," Slear said.
There is more to the Heart of Lewisburg Ice Festival besides ice sculptures. There is a sip and stroll event, a chili cookoff, and a polar bear plunge, with Newswatch 16's Nikki Krize listed as a possible participant.
The plunge raises funds for Lewisburg Neighborhoods.
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