Reading, Pa. – Reading Fire + Ice Fest, the premier regional wintertime festival, will return to downtown Reading for its fifth year in 2019. Produced and organized by the Reading Downtown Improvement District, the festival will take place January 18-19, kicking off on Friday, January 18 at 5:30 p.m. in the 500 block of Penn Street.
The festival will once again feature a variety of both indoor and outdoor activities, including a Snowfall Ball, professional ice-carving competitions, fire performances, a chili cook-off, a large food and beverage tent, live music, and food trucks. All outdoor activities will be free, and the chili cook-off and Snowfall Ball will have nominal entry fees.
Scheduled to perform at the Snowfall Ball on Saturday, January 19 is The Uptown Band, one of the country’s most versatile acts that feature an exciting and eclectic mix of music. The “casual dress” ball will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Reading hotel ballroom. Doors will open at 6 p.m.
Returning again to thrill audiences with their heart-stopping fire performances will be Madeleine Belle from Philadelphia and Flame Nouveau from Allentown.
And Sculpted Ice Works, located near Scranton, Pa., will rejoin Reading Fire + Ice Fest with spectacular ice sculpture displays and carving competitions. Established in 1999, Sculpted Ice Works is a full-service ice event company with several members of the National Ice Carving Association, and is owned by Mark Crouthamel, a carver with more than 20 years of experience under his belt.
Charles R. Broad, Executive Director of the Improvement District, said several festival sponsorship opportunities are now available. They include:
- Signature Sponsor
- Snowfall Ball Sponsor
- Carving Demonstration and Competition Sponsors
- Ice Sculpture Sponsors
Broad noted that the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance has already committed to sponsoring the chili cook-off.
“We’re pleased to have the Chamber on board for the third year in a row,” Broad said. “They’re supporting a great event, since the chili cook-off has always been very popular.”
Broad noted that companies, organizations and individuals can sponsor custom-made ice sculptures as well as larger sculptures. Additional sponsorship details are available by contacting the Improvement District office weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at 610-376-6424, or by going to www.readingfireandicefest.com and clicking on the “Sponsorships” tab.
Updates on Reading Fire + Ice Fest will be posted continually over the next several weeks on the website.
Broad also said that contestants are being sought for the chili cook-off. He pointed out that, because of health and safety permit restrictions, the cook-off is only open to restaurants, caterers, and other food service professionals.
A chili cook-off entry form and rules can be found on the website.
Reading Fire + Ice Fest is supported in large part by a generous grant from the Hawley and Myrtle Quier Fund of Berks County Community Foundation.
About the Reading Downtown Improvement District
The Reading Downtown Improvement District is focused on creating a vital, productive and commercially active environment in downtown Reading. The Improvement District provides cleaning, security and marketing services for a specially designated commercial district in the city, and also sponsors several events and activities throughout the year, including MidDay Cafes, Reading Holiday Parade, and Reading Fire + Ice Fest. The Improvement District continually strives to make downtown Reading a cleaner, safer and more inviting place to live, work and visit.
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