Putnam businesses get ready for Fire & Ice Festival
Connecticut’s “Quiet Corner” is gearing up for a busy Saturday.
Saturday is Putnam’s annual Fire and Ice Festival, a winter event that brings tens of thousands of people to the small town.
Friday, small businesses were getting ready for the big day.
“It is months of planning,” said Kayla Trant, of Bear Hands Brewing Company. “More than 20,000 people visit all these small establishments.”
The Fire and Ice Festival is known as the largest ice block sculpting competition in the state. The event will feature 79 ice sculptures in a half-mile radius of Main Street, with 23 sculpted live for people to view.
When the sun sets, attendees can enjoy giant fire pits and fire performers. The event is in its 15th year, and it boasts food vendors, ice luges, and activities for both adults and kids.
“It’s a huge, important piece of sustaining a downtown district,” said Jennifer Brytowski, who coordinates the festival.
The event was rescheduled from a few weeks ago to Saturday due to heavy snow and cold conditions. But now, with warm weather in the forecast and roads cleared from the blizzard, officials say they can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings.
The event runs from noon to 8 p.m. on Main Street in Putnam.
From breaking news and local politics to art exhibitions, live music, high school sports, small businesses, and cultural events, we celebrate the people and places that make Connecticut unique.