DelawareScene: Fire & Ice Dover Festival @ Downtown Dover Partnership

Fire & Ice Dover Festival

The Downtown Dover Partnership (DDP), in collaboration with the City of Dover and community partners, is proud to present the inaugural Fire and Ice Dover Festival, an immersive celebration of art, food, family fun, and the city’s ongoing transformation. The festival - free and open to the entire community - will take place Friday, January 17th, 3PM - 9PM, and Saturday, January 18th, from 12PM to 9PM in the heart of downtown Dover, stretching on Loockerman Street from the Library to 120 South Governors Ave.

This two-day winter spectacular will feature 32 small ice sculptures and five large, live-carved ice sculptures, alongside activities that bring together Dover’s vibrant community. Visitors will experience the magic of live ice carving starting Friday at 3 PM as well as midday Saturday, while enjoying family-friendly entertainment, including a Kid Zone, parklets with smore’s stations, music, and much more, the fiery flavors of Fire, Ice, and Spice, music, and much more!

"The Fire and Ice Festival is about more than just winter fun—it’s a celebration of the physical and cultural transformation happening in downtown Dover,” said Diane Laird, Executive Director of the Downtown Dover Partnership. “This event highlights our commitment to revitalizing the city through art, local business, and community engagement, and several catalyst redevelopment projects, including a mobility center for +/-350 cars, bikes, and retail, as well as a mixed-use project with first floor retail, coffee shop, wellness center, a daycare, and 160 apartments above. All of these are projects as outlined in the Capital City 2030 Master Plan.”

The public is invited to stop by The Hive (28 W. Loockerman) to learn and see more about this exciting plan directly from project team members during the Fire and Ice Dover Festival. “2025 is the year that we will begin to see these large scale projects come into view on their sites, with groundbreaking.”

For more information: https://fireandicedover.com

Event Highlights

Live Ice Sculpting: Watch professional sculptors transform massive ice blocks into works of art.

Fire, Ice, and Spice: Enjoy special fire-and-ice-themed dishes and drinks from local restaurants, eateries and food trucks.

Kid Zone: Family-friendly activities, including face painting, crafts, and more.

Shop Local: Explore downtown shops and vendors offering festival specials.