Fire and Ice 2024

It's still happening this weekend! The Fire & Ice Winter Festival will take place Saturday, January 27th and Sunday, January 28th, 2024. A little warmer than we'd like but there's still some snow in Alton and it’s still going to be better than ever. 

 

Planned and hosted on Alton Mill’s private property, this two-day event unites the community with a roster of outdoor and indoor activities that support local vendors, businesses, and artists during the coldest month of the year. 

 

Key activities planned for 2024 include ice carving demonstrations, a Hot Stove Lounge featuring Hot Mic Comedy Show and concert by Rag Maple, Miller's Meats food truck hot food & drink, artisanal vendors markets and a spectacular fire sculpture crafted by celebrated local artist Paul Morin. Unfortunately the outdoor pond hockey and ice skating are cancelled due to the warm weather.

 

If you’d like to become a volunteer, please email apply now here!

 

Admission:

Saturday Daytime & Fire Sculpture and Sunday, PWYC admission at the gate, suggested donation amount:

$5 children, $10 Adults, $25 Families or whatever you can afford would be appreciated to sustain the event.

 

Net proceeds from the event will be going to support Headwaters Arts.

Saturday Evening Hot Stove Lounge ticketed event: Watch the Hot Mics comedy show and a concert by Rag Maple. Food and drink available for purchase. Doors at 7:30 pm. Sorry sold out!

 

Schedule of Outdoor Activities - Saturday, January 27th, 2024:

• 11 am-1 pm: Mill Pond - Pick up Hockey. Watch a 4 on 4 game (sorry cancelled)

• 12 pm Noon: Annex Courtyard - Opening ceremonies and opening remarks

• 12 pm Noon-6 pm: Mill Pond - Alton Mill Pond Skating & Shinny (sorry cancelled.) Enjoy the great white outdoors skating with your friends or family, or partake in a game of shinny on the ice.

• 10 am-6 pm: Mill Pond Terrace - Bonfire. Keep warm, share a story and a laugh beside the pond. 

• 10 am-6 pm: The Forge in the Livery - Blacksmithing. Jason Duclos will be in his forge creating one-of-a-kind fire-crafted pieces for your viewing pleasure or purchase

• 10 am-6 pm: West of the Annex Courtyard - Kid's Super Snow Slide. Spin & glide down the hill. Gentle, perfect for small kids!

• 10 am-4 pm: Next to Creek - Build a snölykta. Work as a community to create a glowing Swedish snow lantern … or two. (a hollow cone of snowballs with tealight candles placed within it)

• 10 am-6 pm: Annex Courtyard - Ice Sculptures. Watch the magic unfold as carvers transform blocks of ice into art.

• 11 am-7 pm: Parking Lot - Miller’s Meats Food Truck. 

• 10 am-4 pm: Annex Courtyard - SPINIKO Lifesize Games. Fun for the whole family

• 10 am-6 pm: West of the Annex Courtyard - An interactive photo display. Pop into a painting and share your creation with the world!

• 6 pm (dusk): Upper Parking Lot - Fire Sculpture! Artist Paul Morin lights up the night with a spectacular creation and evocative music. (6 pm pre-burn, 6:30 pm burn begins)

Schedule of Indoor Activities - Saturday, January 27th, 2024:

• 10 am-5 pm: Falls Gallery 104 - Silent Auction. Bid on a range of amazing good from local businesses

• 10 am-5 pm: Open Studios - Many of our resident artists will be doing demonstrations of their media in their open studios. We are always happy to share artistic passion with our visitors.

• 10 am-5 pm: Pond Gallery 215 - Vendor Market. Shop for creative artisanal products and gifts from our guest vendors.

• 10 am-5 pm: Falls Gallery 104 - Vendor Market. More shopping for creative artisanal products and gifts from our guest vendors.

• 11 am-4 pm: Studio 201- A Beehive of Activity. Karen Brown from The Hive Encaustic is offering a candle-making workshop where you can create your own unique and truly beautiful teacup candle! Materials provided or bring your own teacup. No registration is required.

• 11 pm-5 pm: Studio 206 - Mini Tarot Card Readings. See what 2024 has in store with CJ Shelton, $30. Walk-ins are accepted or, book in advance by email

• 12 pm-3 pm:  Studio 101 Rare Threads - Meet a variety of Rare Threads' Artisans who will be onsite to talk about their craft.

• 1 pm-3 pm: Cafe Area - Live acoustic guitar by Vito Loschiavo

• 1 pm - 4 pm: Studio 208 - Wet Felted Landscape Workshop. With Leslie Knight from The Mill Fibre Art Pre-register online here.

• 1 pm-3 pm: Headwaters Arts Gallery - Live Painting Demo. Meet Headwater's Arts member and painter Deb Menkin as she demonstrates her acrylic painting techniques.

• 7 pm-11 pm: Millrace Room - Hot Stove Lounge. Enjoy Hot Mic Comedy, hot chilli, cash bar, prizes and a performance by Rag Maple. Tickets $35. 

Schedule of Activities for Sunday, January 28th, 2024:

• 10 am-5 pm: Falls Gallery 104 - Silent Auction. Bid on a range of amazing good from local businesses

• 10 am-5 pm: Mill Pond - Alton Mill Pond Skating. Bring your own skates. Enjoy the great white outdoors skating with your friends or family

• 10 am-5 pm: Mill Pond Terrace - Bonfire. Keep warm, share a story and a laugh beside the pond. 

• 10 am-5 pm: The Forge in the Livery - Blacksmithing. Jason Duclos will be in his forge creating one-of-a-kind fire-crafted pieces for your viewing pleasure or purchase 

• 10 am-5 pm: West of the Annex Courtyard - Kid's Super Snow Slide. Spin & glide all the way down the hill. Gentle, perfect for small kids!

• 10 am-5 pm: Open Studios. Many of our resident artists will be doing demonstrations of their media in their open studios. We are always happy to share artistic passion with our visitors.

• 10 am-5 pm: Pond Gallery - Vendor Market. Shop for creative artisanal products and gifts from our guest vendors.

• 10 am - 5 pm:  Falls Gallery - Vendor Market. More shopping for creative artisanal products and gifts from our guest vendors.

• 10 am-4 pm: Next to Creek - Build a snölykta. Work as a community to create a glowing Swedish snow lantern … or two. (a hollow cone of snowballs with tealight candles placed within it)

• 10 am-5 pm: Annex Courtyard - Ice Sculptures. Enjoy the amazing hand-carved ice sculptures on display

• 10 am-5 pm: West of the Annex Courtyard - An interactive photo display. Pop into a painting and share your creation with the world!

• 1 pm-5 pm: Studio 206 - Mini Tarot Card Readings. Find out what 2024 has in store with CJ Shelton, $30. Walk-ins are accepted or book in advance by email.

• All day: Upper Parking Lot - Paul Morin's spectacular fire sculpture will be on display from the night before

Enter your best shots from the festival this year for a chance to win an amazing prize featuring local goods! 

Photos can be submitted digitally via our google form. Or physically in Rare Threads with a hard copy of the completed form.

 

Em Cee Jwalit Bharwani

 

If you attended last year you saw him perform a fantastic set! What makes Jwalit perfect to Em Cee a Comedy Show? He's been performing across Canada and bringing his unique perspective and infectious humor to audiences who appreciate his unique way of telling stories. He has been a runner up in the 2023 Absolute Comedy Competition and placed 3rd in Comedy Brawl 2023. Jwalit is also currently rostered with Absolute Comedy Toronto and The Corner Comedy Club. He also has won Roast Battle Toronto Battles and Your Hood’s a Joke Battles. Needless to say, you're in good hands for a night of comedy with Jwalit on the hot mic!

 

Kyle Lucey

 

Kyle Lucey’s outrageous style has wowed audiences across the nation. He is the perfect mix of fun and danger. He's an YukYuks favourite and has been featured on CTV, Sirius XM and MTV. He has also been nominated for The I Heart Jokes Awards twice. His debut comedy special, “Damaged Goods” is available on all platforms .

 

Plus, Kyle is the winner of the Durham Comedy Festival and the Finalist for festivals such as, The Border City Comedy Festival, The Beaver and Bacon Comedy Festival, Comedy Wonder Fest, Brampton’s Funniest Comic and Go Yuk Yourself Comedy Contest. Other Festivals Kyle has been featured on are: The Dark Comedy Festival, The Brantford Comedy Festival, 905 Comedy Festival, No Refunds Comedy Festival, Wasaga Beach Comedy Festival, Durham Comedy Month Festival, 420 Comedy Festival and Off B-Side Comedy Festival.

 

Olivia Stadler

 

Olivia Stadler is a comedian and TV writer known best for her work on Letterkenny, Shoresy, and Roast Battle Canada. You can catch her performing nightly at all of Toronto’s premiere comedy clubs. She toured with the Letterkenny crew in the fall of 2023 all over Ontario and Northeastern America. You can listen to her podcast – The Olivia Show – which is available everywhere podcasts are found – to gain insight into her secrets, stories, and other comedic musings. She’s also active on Substack and Instagram. Follow @ostadz on Instagram to find out more.

 

Jacob Silva

 

Meet Jacob Silva, a standout stand-up comedian originally from Montreal and now thriving in Toronto’s vibrant comedy scene. With a penchant for dark and dry humor, Jacob has crafted a unique style that captivates audiences. His comedic journey has led him to share the stage with renowned names like Dave Attell, Mark Normand, Dan Soder, and Joe List, Annie Lederman, Jordan Jensen, Rich Vos. Leaving an indelible mark on the comedy circuit. Armed with a quick wit and an exceptional sense of timing, Jacob Silva’s performances are a guaranteed rollercoaster of laughter and wit. Keep an eye on this rising star as he continues to light up stages with his comedic brilliance!

 

Finn Einarsson

 

Finn Einarsson has a hard to spell name but he makes it easy to laugh! A true artist, Finn will fit right in at the Alton Mill Arts Centre. Although he is a musician and a designer, as part of the Hot Mic Comedy line up he'll be on stage delivering up laughs.

 

Oliver Kouprie

 

Oliver Kouprie is a Toronto-based stand up comedian who performs at Yuk Yuks, Absolute Comedy Club, Back Room Comedy, The Rivoli and many more venues.

 

Provoking laughter and deeper reflection, Oliver’s material often unpacks social and cultural assumptions by taking them to their most absurd limits.

 

So, if you like comedy that falls into the ‘did he just go there?’ , you'll love this dude. He also makes videos about mannikans that get 6 million plus views on TikTok but that's a story for another day.

 

Meet the Band:

 

Rag Maple

 

Orangeville duo Rag Maple has a longstanding reputation for taking traditional blue grass music and infusing it with their own creativity and flare! Comprised of Alex McDonald and Sheila Roberts. Alex is a singer/songwriter who has been writing music since the age of 14; his voice and guitar skills entertain any audience and his original songs captivate & inspire. Sheila is a classically trained musician,; she's been playing fiddle since the age of 10 and piano since the age of 6.