Alaska World Ice Art Championships Extends Operations Into April

Unusually cold winter in Fairbanks allows rare opportunity to keep the event open longer.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 1:38am

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A blurred, dreamlike photograph of an ice sculpture partially obscured by falling snow, with soft pools of warm light in the background, capturing the atmospheric and artistic nature of the World Ice Art Championships.The extended operations of the World Ice Art Championships in Fairbanks allow visitors more time to experience the event's intricate ice sculptures in a serene, winter wonderland setting.Fairbanks Today

The World Ice Art Championships, also known as Ice Alaska, has extended its operations into April this year due to an unusually cold winter in Fairbanks, Alaska. The extended operations will allow visitors a longer chance to see the ice sculptures, and the event will also host an Easter egg hunt on the final day.

Why it matters

The World Ice Art Championships is a major annual event in Fairbanks that attracts visitors from around the world to see the intricate ice sculptures. The extension of the event into April is a rare occurrence made possible by the prolonged cold weather, providing a unique opportunity for more people to experience the event.

The details

Ice Alaska, the organization that runs the World Ice Art Championships, has decided to keep the event open until April 5th this year, a first in the event's history. The extended operations are due to the unusually cold winter in Fairbanks, which has helped keep the ice sculptures in prime condition. While the cold weather has reduced visitor numbers, the event organizers wanted to give people more time to see the sculptures. In addition to the extended operations, Ice Alaska will also host an Easter egg hunt on the final day of the event.

  • The World Ice Art Championships typically runs from late February through late March.
  • This year, the event has been extended to remain open until April 5th.
  • An Easter egg hunt is planned for the final day, Sunday, April 5th.

The players

Ice Alaska

The organization that runs the World Ice Art Championships in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Calah Grimes

An administrative assistant for Ice Alaska who provided details about the extended operations.

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What they’re saying

“Last year we were able to do a reopening of the forest because the trees protected the ice there, even though it was extremely warm. But I do not believe that we've really reopened the entire park ever. This is the first year that we've been able to keep the kids park open.”

— Calah Grimes, Administrative Assistant, Ice Alaska

“We wanted people to have a longer chance to come see [the sculptures].”

— Calah Grimes, Administrative Assistant, Ice Alaska

What’s next

Ice Alaska will begin the tear-down process for the event after April 5th, but they are currently lacking volunteers to assist with this process.

The takeaway

The extended operations of the World Ice Art Championships in Fairbanks is a rare opportunity made possible by the unusually cold winter, allowing more visitors to experience the intricate ice sculptures and providing a unique Easter celebration at the event.