Frozen Assets is Back! Expanded Nine Day Festival Celebrating Madison’s Lakes
The Expanded Festival Features Nine Days of Events Celebrating Greater Madison’s Lakes and Benefiting Clean Lakes Alliance
Madison, WI, January 12, 2023 — The eleventh annual Frozen Assets, benefiting Clean Lakes Alliance and held at The Edgewater, returns and promises to be bigger and bolder than ever. Expanded to Frozen Assets Week, the event will feature nine days of activities from Saturday, January 28 – Sunday, February 5. Perennial favorites like the Frozen Assets 5K Run/Walk on Lake Mendota will take place along with new attractions including ice sculpture carvings, Kites on Mendota Night Flights, a NEW Pond Hockey Tournament, an outdoor Night ICE 2023 skating party with Milwaukee Bucks DJ Shawna, a Women in Water & Sustainability symposium, and much more.
The expanded festival, in partnership with The Edgewater, Madison’s lakefront urban resort, is an annual event that raises funds and awareness of the year-round value of protecting Greater Madison’s lakes through improvement projects, educational programming, and volunteer water quality monitoring programs.
Five additional days have been added to the festival to provide more opportunities for the community to participate in weekday activities like themed skating nights, a benefit dinner at The Statehouse, and special activities like ‘Frozen Night Out’ sponsored by the Greater Madison Area Chamber of Commerce. Downtown’s Madison Inc’s monthly meeting will also take place and highlight a discussion about the importance of lakes.
The ever-popular family-friendly festival, free and open to the public, will take place on Saturday, February 4, and include kite flying and skating demonstrations, pond hockey on Lake Mendota, an on-ice science lab, and an appearance by Bucky Badger along with complimentary face painting, hot chocolate, and plenty of indoor and outdoor activities.
2023 Frozen Assets Festival Week Event Schedule:
Saturday, January 28
Night ICE 2023, Saturday, January 28, 5-9 p.m. – Chill out on The Edgewater’s Grand Plaza and ice rink for Night ICE 2023, an outdoor party featuring Milwaukee Bucks official DJ and producer, DJ Shawna, live in the booth overlooking Lake Mendota from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. As the official DJ for the NCAA Women’s Final Four, the NBA All-Star game, and the 2020 DJ for the Ryder Cup, Shawna has also opened for Lizzo, Ani DiFranco, Shaq (AKA DJ Diesel), and Jonas Blue. The event begins at 5 p.m. with an opening DJ, skating, and hot chocolate.
Clean Lakes Alliance Benefit Dinner, Saturday, January 28, 5-9 p.m. – Celebrate inside with a benefit dinner at The Statehouse overlooking Lake Mendota and the Grand Plaza ice rink. Chef Juan Martinez has created a three-course wine-paired prix-fixe menu featuring such specialties as organic kale and roasted apple salad, pomegranate, spiced pecans, cider vinaigrette paired with Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs; petite cut prime rib au jus, truffled mashed potato, brussels sprouts paired with Ravel & Stitch Cabernet Sauvignon, Central Coast, California and warm chocolate cake, hazelnut gelato, dark chocolate sauce, hazelnut praline with a winter warmer cocktail. Tickets are $150 per person with 50 percent of all ticket sales going to Clean Lakes Alliance. To reserve, visit www.StatehouseMadison.com.
Sunday, January 29
Sunday Funday Ice Block Delivery, Sunday, January 29 – Five, 1,000-pound ice blocks will be delivered to The Edgewater’s Grand Plaza in preparation for live sculpture carvings by Art Below Zero sculptors who will work on their blocks throughout the week beginning at 4 p.m. from January 30-February 2.
Monday, January 30
Frozen Skate at The Edgewater Ice Rink, Monday, January 30, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. – A Frozen-themed skate, sponsored by Cassin Wolfe of Modern Woodmen of America, featuring special guests Elsa and Anna will take place on the Grand Plaza. The Icehouse will serve frozen treats including snow cones (adult versions, too).
Women in Water and Sustainability, Monday, January 30, 4-6 p.m. – Join Clean Lakes Alliance and TEMPO Madison in The Edgewater’s Grand Ballroom to learn from women leading water and sustainability efforts in Wisconsin. This Clean Lakes 101 event will feature a panel discussion with Jane Elder, former executive director of the Wisconsin Academy; Dan Hatch, research manager at Virent; and Laura Hicklin, director of the Dane County Land and Water Resources Department. Women in Water and Sustainability will be emceed by WKOW’s Meteorologist Alexis Clemons. Registration is free. All registered attendees will receive a complimentary beverage and parking at The Edgewater. Go to https://www.cleanlakesalliance.org/event/clean-lakes-101-jan-2023/ to register.
Tuesday, January 31
Tropical Tuesday Skate at The Edgewater Ice Rink, Tuesday, January 31, 5-9 p.m. – Skate to the tunes of Jimmy Buffet and then head to The Boathouse (at The Edgewater) for live music by the Downtowners and enjoy favorite summer drinks like The Boathouse Margarita and the Mendota Colada.
Wednesday, February 1
Downtown Madison Inc, – Panel Discussion, 8 – 9 a.m.
Downtown Madison Inc. starts the day discussing the redevelopment of the John Nolen waterfront.
Youth Hockey Skate at The Edgewater Ice Rink, Wednesday, February 1, 5-9 p.m. – Sport a youth hockey jersey and enjoy a free skate in honor of National Girls & Women in Sports Day.
Thursday, February 2
Frozen Night Out, Friday, February 3, 4-6 p.m.- Sponsored by the Greater Madison Area Chamber of Commerce, this special night features indoor games and outdoor ice games like Tic Tac Toe, Bean Bag Toss, and Graffiti Wall with a chance to win prizes. A s’mores station and hot toddies around the firepit await. Purchase a $10 ticket or three for $20 to play games.
Frozen Assets Pond Hockey Tournament, Thursday, February 2, 4-8 p.m. – The first annual Frozen Assets Pond Hockey Tournament will take place on rinks built on frozen Lake Mendota. Brews will be served from The Boat House’s beer garden. Teams will play from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., with the finals on Friday, February 3.
Friday, February 3
Friday Night Brewgrass Concert, Friday, February 3, 6-8 p.m. – As a nod to the favorite summer concert series, a pop-up outdoor Brewgrass Friday will reappear in a winter version. Overlook the ice while enjoying brews and a live bluegrass band.
Kites on Mendota – Night Fly, Friday, February 3, 6 p.m. – For the first time, large show kites will dot the sky over Lake Mendota at night. LED-lit kites will fly high in the air for a unique nighttime display.
Ice Sculpture Display Lighting – Friday, February 3, 6 p.m. – After a week of work, the completed sculptures will be ready to light for the night.
Frozen Assets Pond Hockey Championships, Friday, February 3, 5-8 p.m. – The winners of Thursday night’s games will square off for the championship.
Saturday, February 4
Frozen Assets 5K Run/Walk, Saturday, February 4, 10 a.m. – Take part in the only 5K held entirely on a lake in North America. In this unique 5K, participants will run or walk across the ice on iconic Lake Mendota while enjoying beautiful views of downtown Madison and the University of Wisconsin – Madison Campus. Packet pickup is available from 8 to 9:30 a.m. on the 5th floor of The Edgewater. The cost is $45 to participate and interested participants can register online at https://2023frozenassets5k.eventbrite.com.
Frozen Assets Festival, Saturday, February 4, 10 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. – Experience walking on a frozen lake and enjoy the views of kites flying and skydivers landing on the lake. In honor of The Edgewater’s 75th anniversary, the legendary 39-foot, 1948 wooden ice racing boat, the “Mary B” will be on display. Special family-friendly activities taking place on the ice and Grand Plaza will include speed and figure skating demonstrations, free skating and skate rental on the rink, Bucky Badger appearance, snowshoeing, and ice hockey with or without skates. Learn about the science of ice and frozen lakes at the science stations led by the UW Discovery Center, UW Sea Grant, and UW Center for Limnology.
Inside the Grand Ballroom, check out Mad Science demonstrations featuring Up, Up & Away, and Fire & Ice as well as a showing of Sacred Planet. Learn about how to support the Madison area lakes. Free face painting and glitter art will be available.
Both The Boathouse and Statehouse will be open all day for visitors who wish to enjoy a meal or drink while taking in the festivities from inside. Free hot chocolate will be available where food is served.
Kites on Mendota – Night Fly, Saturday, February 4, dusk – The lit LED kites will take to the air for a second night in a row.
Sunday, February 5
Kites on Mendota, Sunday, February 5, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. – The show continues for a third and final day high above The Edgewater on Lake Mendota.
For more information call 608-535-8200 or visit www.theedgewater.com or www.cleanlakesalliance.org.
About Clean Lakes Alliance
Clean Lakes Alliance is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the improvement and protection of the lakes, streams, and wetlands in the Yahara Watershed. Through community support, advocacy, and education, we are working to restore and protect our lakes for future generations.
About The Edgewater
Celebrating it’s 75th anniversary throughout 2023, The Edgewater is an urban resort offering visitors the ultimate Madison experience along the shores of Lake Mendota. The hotel first opened its doors in 1948 and quickly became recognized as a prominent part of the community and culture. The Edgewater has a rich history and throughout the years has hosted an array of celebrities, including Elvis Presley, Elton John, Bob Hope, and the Dalai Lama, among many others. Privately owned and operated by a team that lives in – and loves – their city, the hotel reopened after a $100 million renovation in the fall of 2014. No effort was spared to showcase the property’s breathtaking views, offer unique amenities, and focus on creating Madison’s place, a community-focused hub of activity that is free and open to the public year-round. The Edgewater is a member of Historic Hotels of America. To learn more, visit
Contact:
Adam Sodersten: 608-658-3648 – adam@nullcleanlakesalliance.org
Claire Varrelmann: 608-535-8213 – cvarrelmann@nulltheedgewater.com
Rebecca Werner: 917-370-5005 – Rebecca@nullwernerpr.com