Just like the snow on the ground, Ice Fest 2012 has come and gone!  But those who braved the wind and cold temperatures were not disappointed with this year's unique sports themed carvings, including a Red Wings ice hockey table and two dueling carve-offs featuring the four Branch County high school mascots. Event attendees enjoyed a Chili Tasting from seven local restaurants and pubs with Siren's Bar and Grill taking top honors for their White Chicken Chili. Stoagie's Family Café' and Jeannie's Diner finished a close second and third. And new this year, many attendees toured our town as in days of old, riding a beautiful horse drawn carriage through downtown.

Downtown events such as Ice Fest cannot happen without the financial assistance and support of the Downtown Business Association and its members, downtown businesses, partner organizations and our individual event sponsors. Major sponsors this year included Michigan Gas Utilities; Wal-Mart Transportation Center 6843; Wal-Mart Distribution Center 6034; and Branch County Community Foundation. Individual ice block sponsors included: Infinisource, Century Bank & Trust, Coldwater Board of Public Utilities, Coldwater Daily Reporter, Coldwater Shoppers Guide, Dally Tire, Kellogg Community College, Kiess Jewelry, Southern Michigan Bank & Trust, Taylor's Books & More, Tail Gators Sports Bar & Grill, and Vandervoort, Christ and Fischer.  

Many thanks to Lifespan for overseeing the Chili Tasting contest; Harry Cutcher (Coldwater Executive Office Suites) for the use of the lobby during the Chili Tasting; Janice Cooper (Taylor's Books and More) and Ruth Vanderpool-Combs (Branch District Library) for putting together some great children's activities; and the City's Municipal Services and Police Departments and their staff who provided assistance with event logistics.

And since successful downtown events can't happen without great promotion, we especially wish to thank our local media - Ken Delaney and Jim Whelan (WTVB), Heather Jeffrey and Roland Stoy (The Daily Reporter), and Pat Jolly (The Shoppers Guide) - for their always super work in promoting our events.

On behalf of the Coldwater Downtown Business Association and the Coldwater Downtown Development Authority, we encourage the community to remember our sponsors and partners and choose to patronize and support them as your way of saying "thank you" for helping us bring this unique arts and cultural event to our downtown.