Each year, some of the top ice sculptors from around the world gather in Poznan for The International Ice Sculpture Festival. This Ice Sculpture Festival takes place over three days in early December. It is a wonderful celebration of these talented ice sculptors and is a fitting event for the frigid winter days in Poznan. This festival is held during the same time at the Poznan Christmas Market. While the Christmas Market in Poznan is already incredible, having intricate ice sculptures alongside this Christmas Market is even more festive. This guide gives you an inside look at what to expect at the Poznan Ice Sculpture Festival.
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2023 Poznan International Ice Festival Dates
The Poznan Ice festival is a three-day event held in December every year.
December 8th- December 10th, 2023
How to Visit the Ice Festival in Poznan
The Ice Festival takes place in the Old Market Square in Poznan. A section of the square is dedicated to the Ice Festival, while the rest of Old Market Square is full of stalls for the Christmas Market. The Poznan International Ice Festival location is ideal because you can see the ice sculptors at work while visiting the Christmas Market and sightseeing.
The festival is free to visit, and you can come and go as you please. The free entrance is ideal, as you can stop by several times during your trip to Poznan to see the progress of the ice sculptures.
What to Expect at the Ice Festival in Poznan
The Ice Festival is a delightful experience and provides additional entertainment when visiting the Poznan Christmas Market. The festival isn’t overly interactive unless you are one of the competitors. More so, visitors can watch the sculptors transforming blocks of ice into various carvings at the Poznan Ice Festival. It is impressive to see the intricate sculptures these competitors make from ice. Albeit, it is a slow process. Do not visit with the intentions of being entertained solely by the Ice Festival, unless you have a very long attention span. It is quite interesting to watch the process, yet you will want to spend time at the Christmas Market and sightseeing while in Poznan.
I loved watching the ice sculptors at work while sipping on a warm beverage. It is interesting to see the level of precision and just how detailed these ice sculptures can be. The Old Market Square is a cozy, perfect location for the Ice Festival, there are plenty of cafes nearby and various stalls selling food and beverages at the Christmas Market.
Poznan Ice Festival Events
Each day of the Poznan Ice Festival focuses on a different event of the competition. These are the events:
Day 1: The first day is the individual competition, where each participant creates an ice sculpture using a single block of ice. The participants have three hours to complete their sculptures.
Day 2: The second day of the event is the speed ice carving competition. The speed carving is one of the most thrilling events to watch, as the participants are on a tight time crunch.
Day 3: The third and last day of the Poznan Ice Festival is the team competition. Twelve teams compete in this all-day event. On this day, the participants create the largest and most impressive ice sculptures.
Workshop for Kids: On the third day of the Ice Festival, there is a workshop for kids to learn about ice carving. I really wish this workshop was open for adults because it looked like so much fun!
Where to Stay in Poznan for the Ice Festival
The Ice Festival is located in Old Market Square, so the best place to stay is in the Old Town. This is the busiest weekend during the Christmas season, so be sure to book your hotel early to get a room within walking distance.
Poznan Ice Sculpture Festival: Wrap-up
The Ice Festival in Poznan is a great event to attend. I highly recommend planning your trip to the Ice Festival to align with the Poznan Christmas Market. This way, you can experience both. While there are several different events on each of the days of the festival, you do not need to attend the entire three-day festival. While each ice sculpture is unique, you get the gist of the festival from seeing one of the events. Yet, if you are in Poznan for a couple of days during the Ice Festival, it is worth passing by the competition multiple times to see the progress and the new ice sculptures.
