Sweetwater County Wyoming Blog

2012 Crystal Classic Press Release

Sweetwater County, Wyo., Hosts Crystal Classic Winter Festival Feb.17-18
–Family-friendly event includes world-class ice carving competition, human sled-dog race, 5K run/walk–

Sweetwater County, Wyo. (January 3, 2012) – Sweetwater County Travel & Tourism today announced the dates for its Crystal Classic Winter Carnival. The carnival, hosted by the Green River Parks and Recreation Department, will be held Feb. 17-18 at and around Expedition Island in Green River.

The festival features an ice carving contest that is sanctioned by the National Ice Carving Association (NICA) and boasts a prize purse totaling $11,000 for professional and amateur divisions. The contest draws contestants from all over the U.S and Canada and will be held on Green River’s Expedition Island. The people’s choice ice sculpting contest will be held Friday evening and the individual competition will take place on Saturday afternoon.

There are a number of family-friendly activities associated with the event in addition to ice sculpting contests. The Frostbite/Crystal Classic 5K Run/Walk takes place at 10 a.m. on Saturday and is open to participants of all ages. The course will wind around the ice sculpting exhibits and along the Greenbelt Pathway, providing a bird’s eye view of the contestants’ work. Participants will receive a stocking cap, as well as the chance to win gift certificates from the chamber of commerce.

Also on tap – a soup cook-off, the human dog sled competition, a pancake breakfast, s’mores stations, kids’ games, an ice cube hunt, an ice bar, musical entertainment and food. The Crystal Classic Winter Banquet, which is open to the public, will be held on Feb. 18 to celebrate the competitors and present awards.

For more information on the event call 307-382-2538 or visit the Sweetwater County website. 

About Sweetwater County (www.tourwyoming.com)
Sweetwater County, located halfway between Yellowstone and Canyonlands National Parks in southwest Wyoming, is home to 10,500 square miles of pure, high desert adventure. Known as ‘Flaming Gorge Country” the area is characterized by the 91-square-mile Flaming Gorge Lake, the famed Green River, expansive deserts and rugged mountains. Activities include camping, hiking, biking, fishing, golfing, sightseeing, wildlife viewing, hunting dinosaurs, shopping, and just plain getting away from it all. A perfect place to explore American history, Sweetwater County is also home to petroglyphs, pioneer trails and historical museums.

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Contacts:
Gaylene Ore, Ore Communications, 970.812.8733, gaylene@orecommunications.com

Jenissa Bartlett, Sweetwater Travel & Tourism, 307.382.2538, jbartlett@tourwyoming.com