Keene Ice & Snow Festival

The Keene Ice & Snow Festival happens the second weekend in February, this year held on Saturday February 6.

The Ice & Snow Festival was originally created by the Greater Keene Chamber of Commerce to add a community event during the winter season. The day combines art, recreation and sports, offering something for people of all ages. This year's festival lasted from 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., and was a sunny, yet very very cold day.

Some of the activities included ice skating on the outdoor rink, toasting marshmallows, snow sculpting in the piles of snow that were deposited around downtown the night before. There was a snowshoe race for people of all ages and competitive levels, with the winner finishing the one-mile course in just over 6 minutes. Granite Gorge helped out by bringing snow grooming machinery to downtown to form a snowboarding course off Gilbo Avenue.

Main Street was set up with more than 20 ice carving stations. Each station had at least one block of high quality ice. Both professional and amateur carvers came equipped with chain saws and chisels, hair dryers and hot plates, and assorted cutting and heating tools. It's just amazing what these artists created!

The Ice & Snow Festival is a great example of life in the Monadnock Region. It's a community event that offers something for everyone. For the ninth year in a row, the event planners have achieved their vision of providing winter wonderland activities and attractions for the public to watch and enjoy, as a community.