Tickets are now on sale for one of Edmonton’s biggest winter attractions.
The Ice Castle in Hawrelak Park will be open to the public on Dec. 30.
“We sold out a lot last year, and will probably do the same this year. So we won’t necessarily be selling tickets at the door, so the best way to get tickets is definitely online,” Cory Livingood, site manager and self-described king of the castle, said.
READ MORE: 13 things to do in Edmonton in winter 2016/17
Construction on the massive ice structure isn’t finished just yet. With less than two weeks to go until opening day, crews are working to finish up last-minute details like levelling trails.
“The build is going really well. We’ve got heavy machinery down here helping us remove some of the ice from the floors, trying to get things levelled out so it’s ready for people to come through,” Livingood said. “Just a lot of little projects we’re just tying together and getting ready to open.”
READ MORE: Frigid Edmonton weather proves beneficial for Ice Castle sculptors: ‘We need the cold to make ice’
After a two-week cold snap, the weather in Edmonton is expected to warm up this week, hitting daytime highs between -1 C and 1C.
Livingood said the warm weather is actually welcome news.
“It’s actually not a bad thing that it’s a little bit warm. We’ll be able to work on our trails,” he said. “There’s always something we can do and with this much ice, a little bit of warm weather isn’t typically going to hurt it too much.
“Once we get a little bit of ice down it kind of holds its temperature and the temperatures don’t really affect it nearly as much as people would imagine.”
Crafted by hand using only icicles and water, the ice castle will have tunnels, a waterfall and a throne room. The castle will also house a tubular ice slide and a winding ice maze.
Tickets range in price – depending on the day and time you visit – from $9.95 – $12.95 for children and $12.95 – $16.95 for adults.
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