St. Louis wasn’t the only part of the country experiencing a “snowpocalypse” during SLU’s Christmas break. Milwaukee had wind chills near -50 degrees, Atlanta was in the single digits, upstate New York was pounded with a blizzard and even sunny California shivered through unseasonably low temperatures. While the cozy climate might have been fun for a little while, cabin fever quickly kicked in for thousands after the 24th hour stuck on the couch or 24th minute spent shoveling snow.
That said, The Delmar Loop’s Ice Carnival celebrating all things winter might seem like a tough sell for this coming weekend, but those dreaming of warmer weather should not doubt the fun events planned for this annual event on Jan. 17-18. Beginning on Friday night with the Snow Ball inside of the Moonrise Hotel, guests are asked to don their best and brightest white clothing as they mingle throughout the ballroom. Entertainment for the evening will include live music, fun cocktails, passed hors d’oeuvres and crowns for the best-dressed ice king and queen.
Saturday’s festivities kick off with the Frozen Buns run 5k and 10k throughout the University City neighborhood. For those not exactly jazzed about running first thing in the morning, there are many other options to enjoy the Ice Carnival, such as the human dog sled races and numerous professional ice carving demonstrations.
Even for those just looking to walk around The Delmar Loop with a hot chocolate in hand, there’s still plenty to see amongst the many game booths and various street performers, such as the towering stilt walkers and talented jugglers. Adrenaline junkies should be sure to head towards the Moonrise Hotel at 3 p.m. in order to catch the Red Bull Air Force dive team swooping towards Delmar in their stunning two-man skydive.
This year’s Ice Carnival will also continue the crowd-favorite Putt-Putt Pub Crawl, which incorporates an 11-hole golf course along the bars of Delmar Avenue. Golfers are encouraged to sport snazzy knickers and pop the collars of their polos as they putt and drink their way from bar to bar. The crawl ends with a party at Cicero’s where prizes will be awarded to the best golfers of the day.
Theninth-annual Ice Carnival provides an opportunity to not only embrace winter, but to also explore what The American Planning Association deemed, “one of the 10 greatest streets of America,” just a few years ago. During the weekend, shops and restaurants along Delmar Boulevard will be holding special sales to celebrate the Ice Carnival. So even if you’re dreaming of warmer days, consider the Ice Carnival a great excuse to experience a stretch of St. Louis that is well-worth seeing.
For more information and to view a schedule of events, look to the Delmar Loop’s website or contact The Moonrise Hotel at 6177 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis.
