Construction to begin at popular Lake Geneva 'Ice Castles'

LAKE GENEVA, Wis. (CBS 58) --- Here is a sure sign it is winter in Wisconsin! Construction will soon be underway at Lake Geneva's popular icy attraction.

Ice Castles in Lake Geneva will officially begin to take shape over the next few weeks, according to officials. It is expected to open in mid-to-late January. 

Beginning this weekend, Saturday Dec. 12, ice artisans are expected to begin growing and harvesting icicles to build the acre-sized frozen fortress at Geneva National Resort.

It will take roughly six weeks of hand-placing up to 10,000 icicles each day to create the life-size winter playground, according to a news release. This includes slides, fountains, caves, tunnels, and crawl spaces built entirely from ice.

 

This is Ice Castles' third season in Lake Geneva. There were numerous weather challenges over the last two seasons, officials say. 

Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the attraction will be operating at a reduced capacity. 

Ice Castles was founded in 2011 and has been build in several cities across the United States, Canada, and New Zealand. In addition to Wisconsin, Ice Castles is located in Utah, New Hampshire, and Colorado this season. 

For tickets and more information, click here.