On Valentine’s Day weekend, celebrate your love of Central Park’s sculptures at the fifth annual free Ice Festival.
During the Ice Festival on February 13, you can witness ice-carving artists use electric chain saws, chisels, and picks to transform more than 6,000 pounds of ice into a glistening replica of one of the Park’s most beloved statues. As night falls, revel among colorful lights as the Mall becomes a vibrant silent disco with live DJs, all to celebrate Central Park Conservancy’s preservation efforts.
From 3-5 p.m., you can watch live ice carving by Okamoto Studio. At 3 p.m., participate in InstaMeet, a creative photo challenge; visit Central Park’s official Instagram account, @centralparknyc, for details. During the festival you can also visit the statue and monument restoration exhibit with Matt Reiley, Central Park Conservancy’s Associate Director of Conservation and Preservation. Then, test your knowledge of Central Park Conservancy trivia; enjoy treats and food truck fare for purchase by Dub Pies, Domo Taco, Wafels and Dinges, and Don Café; visit the sculpting station and mold your very own iconic Central Park statue; all under dazzling lights in a romantic Central Park setting.
From 5-7 p.m., dance away at the Silent Disco with live music by DJ’s Geo Vanasco and Dylan + DTR, spinning Top 40 hits, Funk and Soul, and your favorite NYC artists into headphones powered by Quiet Events. It’s a dance party with headphones; you choose the music. Starting at 5:00 pm, two live DJs take the stage at the same time, spinning Top 40 hits, Funk and Soul, and your favorite NYC artists. You choose the channel with your favorite music genre and dance the night away. The glowing, color-coded headsets show which music other partygoers are listening to, so you can dance along with your friends.
This event is free and is open to all ages. Registration/tickets are not required and do not guarantee a headphone. Headphone quantities are limited. Quiet Events requires an ID or credit card to check out a pair of headphones. ID will be given back when headphones are returned. In the unlikely event that you lose the headphones you checked out, Quiet Events will charge a $100 replacement fee on-site.
Central Park Conservancy, a private, not-for-profit organization, was formed in 1980 by a group of concerned citizens determined to improve Central Park. Today, it manages Central Park under a contract with the City of New York. Over its 160-year history, the Park has experienced several cycles of restoration and decline. The era of decline in the 1960s and 1970s led to Central Park Conservancy’s formation. Central Park Conservancy is uniquely qualified to prevent future declines and ensure the Park’s care for current and future generations.
Healthy cities need parks, and parks need management. As the world leader in urban park management, the Conservancy is uniquely positioned to teach what they have learned to park users and managers in order to develop respect and responsibility for urban parks, both locally and globally. The Central Park Conservancy Institute for Urban Parks was formed in 2013 as the educational arm of the Conservancy. Through a variety of educational programs and learning resources, the Institute teaches people about managing and making good use of urban parks. It is a privilege for them as the caretakers of Central Park to share their experience and expertise with managers, educators, students, and visitors to help shape the future of urban parks.