Every late February through March, Fairbanks hosts the World Ice Art Championships, the largest ice sculpting competition on earth. Teams from around the world descend on the city to carve massive blocks of clear Alaskan ice into intricate, sometimes enormous sculptures ranging from realistic animals to abstract architecture.
The competition takes place at a dedicated park on the outskirts of town, where the finished sculptures are displayed along lit pathways. The effect at night is extraordinary — translucent ice glowing in blues, greens, and purples against the dark boreal forest. There are also ice slides, an ice playground for kids, and a bar where you can drink from glasses made of ice. The sculptures remain on display as long as the weather cooperates, usually through late March or early April.