Fire and Ice to kick off First Fridays

Jan. 3—GOSHEN — Fire and Ice kicks off the First First Friday of 2024.

With the festival comes the opportunity to support those in need at The Window, Inc. of downtown Goshen. The Maple City Ice Bowl will take place Friday and Saturday, adding a special evening event to the annual food pantry fundraiser.

"It's personal for me because I had to deal with food insecurity at certain levels when I was younger and people who didn't even know me took care of me and they fed me and they provided food for my family and myself," said Jason Samuel, Director of the Maple City Ice Bowl.

Kicking off the ice bowl fundraiser, the team will host a chili dinner at $10 suggested donation per bowl at The Window, 223 S. Main St., Goshen. The meal will be traditional chili with a vegetarian option along with cornbread and a cookie. Serving starts at 4:30 p.m. and continues until food runs out or 8:30 p.m.

The goal for this year's ice bowl is $30,000. As of Wednesday night, just under $13,000 had been raised.

Now entering its fourth year, the Maple City Ice Bowl has raised $66,000. Last year's goal was $25,000 and Samuel said the goal has been increased this year because the need is greater. Last year, Goshen's ice bowl was the second-largest fundraiser of its kind in the country.

"Food insecurity is a serious problem," he said. "The line (at The Window) goes out the building and down the block. If you've been downtown, you've seen it. We're a really blessed community in a lot of ways but we've got people that need help. I don't know people's backstories. All I know is they're hungry."

Samuel said cash donations are most valuable for food pantries as the bulk purchases help the money to go further. He said that $100 can feed a family of four through the pantry for two months, while the $30,000 goal in theory can provide 30,000 meals between food boxes, hot lunches, and Meals on Wheels provided by The Window.

The actual Maple City Ice Bowl event takes place at the Ox Bow Flying Disc Sanctuary at Ox Bow County Park, 23033 C.R. 45, Goshen.

Registration is currently full and there's a waitlist to join but the community is still welcome to come out and watch or bring a financial donation to the liaisons on site.

Donations are also accepted via cash or through Venmo or PayPal at www.thewindowofgoshen.com/event-payment.

The fundraiser isn't the only way to join in First Fridays, though. There will be free marshmallow roasting over toasty outdoor fires on Washington Street and nearby, enjoy a fire dance and stunt show. Festivities will be from 5 — 8 p.m.

The annual Fire and Ice Festival begins at noon with ice carving downtown. In total, seven professional carvers from the Michiana Ice Carvers Association will produce 31 sculptures downtown, transforming 300-pound ice blocks into works of art. Thirteen of them will be carved live during the festivities.

The ice sleigh carving, sponsored by the City of Goshen, will be carved live at the Goshen Police Department, 111 E. Jefferson St. The carving of the ice throne, sponsored by Miller Poultry, on the corner of West Washington Street and Main Street, near the community Christmas tree, will also take place during the event. Goshen Health is also sponsoring the carving of an ice cornhole set nearby.

LIVE SCULPTURES:

* First State Bank, 201 N. Main St.

* Biebs and Ash, 133 S. Main St.

* JoJo's Pretzels, 136 S. Main St.

* The Nut Shoppe, 204 S. Main St.

* Cressy & Everett Real Estate, 210-A S. Main St.

* Goshen Theater, 216 S. Main St.

* Constant Spring, 219 S. Main St.

* Venturi, 123 E. Lincoln Ave.

* Interra Credit Union, 300 W. Lincoln Ave.

* Electric Brew, 118 E. Washington St.

* Corners of East Washington and Main (sponsor: Elkhart County Convention & Visitors Bureau)

OTHER SCULPTURES:

* The Table @ 108, 108 N. Main St. (sponsor: Eyedart Creative Studio)

* Downtown Police Booth (sponsor: Downtown Economic Improvement District)

* The Goshen News, 114 S. Main St. (sponsor: Goshen College)

* I M SHE, 121 S. Main St. (sponsor: Friends of The Pumpkinvine)

* Woldruff's Footwear, 129 S. Main St. (sponsor: Green Oaks of Goshen)

* Menno Travel, 203 S. Main St.

* The Exchange, 212 S. Main St.

* Fables Books, 215 S. Main St.

* Kruggel Lawton, 220 S. Main St.

* Elephant Bar, 227 S. Main St.

* Goshen Chamber of Commerce, 232 S. Main St.

* Maple City Market, 314 S. Main St.

* Common Spirits, 111 E. Lincoln Ave.

* ADEC, 114 E. Lincoln Ave. (sponsor: Robert Adam Construction)

* Venturi, 123 E. Lincoln Ave.

* Goshen Brewing Company, 315 W. Washington St.

* The Imagination Spot, 111 E. Washington St. (sponsor: Legacy Home Furniture)

* Ignition Music Garage, 120 E. Washington St. (sponsor: The Community Foundation of Elkhart County)

Visit https://downtowngoshen.org/events/2024-january for more information.

Dani Messick is the education and entertainment reporter for The Goshen News. She can be reached at dani.messick@goshennews.com or at 574-538-2065.