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CELORON – The annual Fire & Ice Celebration returns to the Chautauqua Harbor Hotel on Thursday night, featuring what organizers say is much needed merriment to winter’s longest stretch.
The annual fundraiser helps support children impacted by crimes in the Jamestown community, by raising money for the Child Advocacy Program of Chautauqua County, also known as CAP.
“I don’t think I’ve seen my staff so excited in a long time,” explained hotel general manager Cory Amman. “This is a slow time of the year for us and to be able to say that we’re going to bring 2,500 people in the next three days around a great event for the community.”
Over 20,000 pounds of ice, meticulously carved into sculptures, ice bars, and martini luges will be on display. Artists were hard at work sculpting on Thursday morning.
As the hotel’s general manager explains, the festival will have much more than ice. It will include events like an adult playground, roaring fire pits, and a fireworks show to cap the night.
“We work with local communes, we have about forty different sponsors that we’re bringing in, and obviously we’re working with the CAP program here locally,” stated Amman.
The Child Advocacy Program of Chautauqua County’s main mission is to create a safe and engaged community, by bringing healing, hope, and justice to children and their families impacted by crimes against them.
“The Child Advocacy Program is a local foundation that we partnered with from the beginning,” explained Amman. “That really helps to support local community children that are in need.”
This is the third year the festival has taken place, the first two being from 2019 to 2020. Last year they took a year off due to the pandemic.
Tickets for the weekend long event are still available online at thechautauquaharborhotel.com.
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