MIDWAY, Utah (ABC4) — Construction is underway for one of Utah’s favorite winter attractions and this year, fans can expect a few new amenities and improvements.
The Midway Ice Castles at the Soldier Hollow Nordic Center is an annual winter delight for Utahns. Completely sculpted out of ice, this year’s design will feature favorites such as ice slides, caverns, tunnels and crawl spaces.
This season the features be enhanced with new lighting features, igloos and horse-drawn wagon rides which Ice Castle officials say will complement the wintry experience. The Midway Ice Castles will also debut a new Quench It soda bar for visitors to take advantage of.
“Utah is where all the magic started for Ice Castles years ago and we have so much love for Midway,” said Ice Castles CEO Kyle Standifird. “This year we are excited to be debuting a new castle design along with a soda bar.”
An opening date for the Midway Ice Castles has yet to be announced, though the attraction typically opens in late December or early January, depending on the weather. Once opened, the Ice Castles usually remain open until February.
A team of about 20 ice artists works to build the yearly experience using icicles they grow, harvest and hand place one-by-one. As they build, the artists embed color-changing LED lights into the ice, creating an enchanting and magical illumination of the castles at night.
Tickets for the Midway Ice Castle’s peak season will go on sale on Wednesday, Nov. 29 at 9 a.m.
The Ice Castles, which started in Utah in 2011, has grown to become a national attraction with three other locations nationwide, including New Hampshire, Minnesota, and Colorado.
