Stowe, VT – Some of the country’s best amateur and professional ice carvers will compete by creating frozen masterpieces in Stowe today. The nationally sanctioned NICA event comes at the conclusion of Stowe’s week-long Winter Carnival, an annual celebration that’s been happening since 1922.

The Ice Carving Competition will take place between noon and 4 p.m. in the Vermont ski and snowboard resort’s Spruce Peak Plaza, with an awards ceremony and après ski party featuring Live Music from 5 to 7 p.m. inside Spruce Camp at the base of Stowe Mountain Resort. The theme of this year’s event is “Superheroes” and all magnificent ice sculptures will remain on display around Stowe for the duration of winter, or until they melt.

Formed in 1987 as a not-for-profit organization, the purpose of the National Ice Carving Association (NICA) is to promote the art of ice sculpture through education, competitions, standardized judging and exhibitions. NICA sanctions ice carving exhibitions and competitions throughout the United States.