NORTH WOODSTOCK, N.H. (AP) — Organizers of annual hand-crafted ice castle sculptures in New Hampshire say the popular tourist attraction is opening Friday as planned, despite the warmer weather expected this weekend.
The frozen attraction is located in six places across North America, including in North Woodstock. The castles include LED-lit sculptures, frozen thrones, ice-carved tunnels, slides and fountains. The winter wonderland is built from scratch when the cold conditions allow the ice to sprout from the barren ground.
Melissa Smuzynski, the marketing director for Ice Castles, said they are watching the weather and are planning to open late on Saturday if conditions are too “precarious.” Temperatures over the weekend could reach into the 50s with a chance of rain. Rain can cause slick conditions.
If the weather forces Ice Castles to close Saturday, Smuzynski said guests booked for that day will be alerted by email and text. They will get an automatic refund and an offer to rebook for another day and time at a discounted price.
Warming weather is always a threat for the Ice Castles. In years past, some locations occasionally have had to cut their seasons short due to warmer winters.
The attraction, which moved last year from neighboring Lincoln, draws tens of thousands of visitors each season.
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