The first annual Winona Ice Fest was a celebration of ice climbing and winter, in general, at the Winona Ice Park February 22nd-25th. A collaborative event between the City of Winona, the Recreation Alliance of Winona, and Big River Climbing Guides,—Winona Ice Fest gave people the chance to hang, quite literally, while ice climbing and making a bunch of new friends. Attendees of the festival got sweet deals from amazing local partners as well as access to after parties with music and a ticket to Saturday’s gear raffle. Plus there were presentations and clinics along with tons of fun activities in downtown for attendees to participate in.
Day 1 – Thursday, February 22
On Thursday, February 22nd, Winona residents had the exciting opportunity to participate in free ice climbing clinics. The morning sessions, ran from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM, and afternoon clinics went until 4:30 PM. This provided a chance for local enthusiasts to engage in a thrilling winter activity that maybe they hadn’t experienced before or just a chance to see the second biggest ice wall in the states. As part of the Winona Ice Fest festivities, check-in for the event took place at Island City Brewing Co at 4:00 PM for climbers coming into town for the festival. To cap off the day, everyone was invited to the No Name Bar, where live music from local blues artist, Mike Munson, entertained the crowd.
Day 2 – Friday, February 23
Friday unfolded with climbing clinics for registered climbers that were attending the festival. They all met at the Sugarloaf Trailhead and headed to Winona Ice Park. The Winona Ice Fest spirit continued with check-in and a social gathering at Island City Brewing Co extending into the evening. Following an exhilarating day of climbing, the Apres’ climb social was also happening at 2 Brothers Sports Bar + Grill for a relaxed and convivial atmosphere that found one table full of carabiners and other climbing apparatus with people conversing around it. The day also provided an educational turn with a climbing presentation by Dave Rone at the Winona County History Center. Transitioning into the night, No Name Bar became alive with the musical vibes of Ghostland Radio, welcoming all attendees from Winona Ice Fest to attend.
Day 3 – Saturday, February 24
The final full day of the festival was packed with excitement as climbing clinics took center stage in the morning and afternoon with pros and sponsors instructing the climbers. For those seeking a unique spectacle, Peters Beirgarten hosted a chainsaw ice carving demo starting around 6pm which added a touch of artistry to the festivities. Then Winona Ice Fest had a giant gear raffle later at ICBC where the place was packed with festival goers waiting to see if they were going to get lucky. All of these activities were then followed by the Winona Ice Fest After Party at No Name Bar from 9:30 PM to bar close were local favorites, Texas Toast, performed their psychedelic-charged country tunes for the Winona Ice Fest attendees, as it was closed to the general public for the night.
Day 4 – Sunday, February 25
On Sunday, everyone packed up their gear and trinkets from the long weekend. Many stopped at a local spot before leaving to have one more chance to grab a bite in Winona and chat about the myriad of things that had transpired at the festival. It’s always bittersweet to have to go, but now we are all excited for what 2025 has in store for Winona Ice Fest. See you next year!
