ALAMOSA — After a two-year hiatus due to unsafe ice conditions, the premiere event of the Rio Frio Ice Fest is back on the frozen Rio Grande.
Event officials have confirmed a safe route for the Rio Frio 5k has been mapped out with up to 10-inches of ice on the river, beginning in Cole Park, Saturday morning at 10 a.m. Those same ice conditions will mean the return of Sunday’s popular “polar plunge” and ice carousel beginning at noon.
Dalton Carleo, recreation division manager for the City of Alamosa, said more than 200 had pre-registered for the 5k as of last week and another record number of participants could eventually toe the line.
You won’t necessarily need a tuxedo to participate in the 2024 Rio Frio Ice Fest, but it would be fitting with this year’s theme of a “Penguin Party.”
Organized by the City of Alamosa Parks and Recreation, Alamosa County Chamber of Commerce and “Visit Alamosa,” the ice fest committee chose the penguin theme after making suggestions to the community. The annual ice sculpting downtown will follow the theme.
Aside from the popular race/walk, Saturday’s highlights will include ice carving demonstrations beginning at noon, a disc golf tournament on the city course just north of town from 12-2 p.m. and the shop local raffle from 12-3 p.m. on San Juan Avenue, not to mention that evening’s bonfire in ice.
The Young Professionals of Alamosa, an offshoot of the Chamber of Commerce, will sponsor the Shop Local Raffle Extravaganza from 12-3 p.m. on San Juan. Receipts from any Alamosa business dated 1/27/24 for a minimum of $10 will earn one raffle entry per $10 spent.
Find mini penguin figurines in downtown businesses and turn them in at the YPA table for one raffle entry per penguin.
Festivities begin Friday night with race packet pickup at Milagros Coffee House at 6 p.m. and a cross country/luminaria ski event at Blanca Vista Park, again snow conditions permitting, from 6-8 p.m.
Race packet pickup continues Saturday from 8-9:30 a.m. at the Alamosa Senior Center in Cole Park, followed by the race starting at 10 a.m. on the bordering Rio Grande. Race awards will be given on site following the event.
An information tent will be manned from 1-4 p.m. at Main and San Juan Avenue.
The second annual “Rio Frio Flight” will offer drink and snack samples from 4-6 p.m. on San Juan, featuring a drink “luge”, carved from a block of ice, and possibly an “ice bar.”
Returning is the ever-popular “fire and ice” bonfire on San Juan Avenue beginning at 6:30 p.m. Saturday featuring a blazing fire inside a tower of ice blocks. This event has been moved to the middle of the block to prevent damage to new lighting above the south one-half block of San Juan.
For more details, go to www.riofrioice.com or rioraces.com.
