Massive ice palace marks 120 years of tradition

Massive ice palace marks 120 years of tradition
Massive ice palace marks 120 years of tradition

Whoa. That's a lot of ice.

The Winter Carnival Ice Palace is in New York, marking an annual tradition that's taken place since 1898.

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"People want to come down in the winter and have a good time, get out of their houses and do something," said Jeff Branch, chairman of the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival. "There's something for everybody. Come on down and I guarantee you'll come back."

Each year, volunteers cut hundreds of blocks of ice that weigh 400 pounds each from a nearby lake.

"I just think that people love to see something different and this is really different. It brings in a lot of people, so we're very happy about it," said construction director Dean Baker.

The palace typically contains anywhere from 1,000 to 4,000 blocks.

The year is also carved out of ice and displayed in front of the palace.