The fifth edition of Ice Festival, Spain's only international ice sculpture competition, will take place at the Mágicas Navidades Park in Torrejón de Ardoz from 14 November to 10 January. This year’s theme, 'Titans of the Sea', promises to be the largest exhibition of ice sculptures in Europe, featuring a range of marine life.
Highlighting the exhibition will be a life-sized 15-metre humpback whale alongside its calf, set against a backdrop of coral reefs and schools of fish, all rendered in shades of blue ice. The festival will also include mythological elements, such as Neptune, the god of the sea, emerging from icy waves with his trident, and a giant kraken entangling a galleon.
Visitors will encounter a variety of sea creatures, including sharks, seahorses, and mantas, all brought to life through careful lighting and soundscapes that mimic an underwater environment. The festival is organised by Productores de Sonrisas, a company known for creating large-scale family entertainment experiences.
From 7 to 13 November, 10 teams comprising 22 artists from 14 countries will compete to create these stunning sculptures. Participants will use high-quality ice blocks, each weighing 125 kilograms, and will employ tools such as chainsaws and chisels to craft their works. Among the competitors are renowned ice sculptors, including Steve Brice and Aleksei Andreev, both multiple world champions.
Special guests from Japan, Junichi Nakamura and Shinichi Sawamura, will also contribute their expertise to the event, creating sculptures outside of the competition. An official jury will evaluate the works based on artistic and technical criteria, with prizes of €10,000, €7,500, and €5,000 for the top three sculptures, alongside a public award.
To preserve the sculptures during the exhibition, Ice Festival will maintain a constant temperature of -9°C in a specially designed facility. This ensures that the delicate works remain intact for the duration of the event, although they are ultimately ephemeral, destined to melt away after the festival concludes.
Ice Festival offers a unique opportunity to experience these fleeting masterpieces, celebrating both the artistry and the transience of ice sculptures.
