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An ice carver creates a frozen masterpiece during the 2019 Wellsboro Winter Celebration.

The whir of chainsaws and mists of powdered ice will greet those attending the Wellsboro Winter Celebration this Saturday, Feb. 12. The three-day event that leads up to Valentine’s Day on Monday, Feb. 14, will begin this Friday, Feb. 11 and end this Sunday, Feb. 13.

Throughout the day on Saturday, 27 ice blocks weighing 4.05 tons will be carved into seven frozen sculptures on sidewalks in front of Main Street businesses. It’s free. The public is welcome to watch and ask questions.

Beginning at 8:30 a.m. Saturday morning in front of Ginn & Vickery, PC at 99 Main Street, three ice carvers will create a dinosaur to sit on from 3000 pounds of ice; in front of the Deane Center at 104 Main Street in Wellsboro, the Love Bug, a car to sit in from 2100 pounds of ice; and in front of the Arcadia Theater, two minions from 600 pounds of ice each with space for children, teens and adults to add their faces and have friends and relatives take their pictures.

The carvers will also demonstrate their skills by creating four other ice masterpieces on the sidewalks, including a deer in front of Hillstone Farms, a dolphin in front of Dunham’s Department Store’s Café 1905, a penguin in front of BonHoffie Skin Culture and a bear in front of Senior’s Creations and Main Street Olive Oil Company, each from 450 pounds of ice.

The Chili with a Chance for Chocolate Taste-Off will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday with 13 different types of chili to taste at downtown businesses. Pick up a passport for $5 to sample the chili and vote on the winners as well as to enter the drawing to win one or all 13 of the baskets of chocolates on display at participating businesses.

From noon to 2:30 p.m. Saturday on The Green, a park in downtown Wellsboro, will be free family-friendly events. There will be cross-country skiing with instruction for kids and at 2 p.m., a tubing contest for children and adults.

Between noon and 2:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Fellowship Hall on Walnut Street, one block from The Green, children ages 1 to 12 accompanied by an adult can drink hot chocolate and decorate a sugar cookie with frosting and colorful sprinkles and then eat it or take a prepackaged cookie, frosting and sprinkles with them and decorate and eat their cookie at home. In addition, children will receive a Valentine’s Day card kit to make a couple of cards there or take a kit home to make the cards. The cookie, hot chocolate and kit are free. There will be some surprises, too.

On Sunday, Feb. 13 both runners and hikers will be taking on the Mt. Tom Challenge. For more information, email the Tyoga Running Club at run4trc@gmail.com or call Tim Morey at (570) 724-8561.

For a complete schedule of Wellsboro Winter Celebration events, visit www.wellsboropa.com and click on Wellsboro Winter Celebration or contact the Wellsboro Area Chamber of Commerce at (570) 724-1926 or email info@wellsboropa.com.

Diane Eaton
dianetn@ptd.net
(570) 724-3800