Live ice carvings were done throughout Clarks Summit for the Festival of Ice on Saturday. The ice chunks outside of Our Lady of the Snows, shown here, eventually depicted a shark.
                                 Sam Zavada | Times Leader

Clarks Summit Festival of Ice brings a friendly chill to the Abingtons

CLARKS SUMMIT — Reilley Taft summed up the conditions and energy at the 21st annual Festival of Ice on Saturday.

“It’s very cold, but nice, here,” Taft said while his teeth chattered in the freezing temperatures. “Everything’s nice. I’m enjoying it.”

Anne Armezzani, a member of the board of directors at the Abington Business & Professional Association (ABPA), and the event director at The Gathering Place, concurred with Taft’s assessment. As one of the festival’s most prominent organizers, Armezzani saw the cold as a huge win — at least for the ice.

“The weather is perfect for an ice festival,” Armezzani said. “It’s cold for people, but it’s perfect for ice.”

The festival kicked off Friday and will continue on Sunday.

Armezzani said the turnout Friday night was excellent, largely thanks to the parade and bands that served as entertainment. Like others in Clarks Summit this weekend and in years past, Armezzani wore a costume consistent with the Festival of Ice’s theme. This year, the theme was “Under the Sea.”

“I was a sea witch [on Friday] night, but I couldn’t get around with all those tentacles,” Armezzani explained. On Saturday, she settled for a more restrained Spongebob Squarepants-themed outfit.

Also in costume was Clarks Summit Borough Council President Gerrie Carey, who walked the streets dressed as a lobster. As an elected official, she sees the festival as a good endorsement of the borough for those who come from outside the area.

“This is our biggest fundraiser for all our merchants. We have people coming from all over — out-of-state and everything — for our ice festival,” Carey said. “Every year, it’s been a big success.”

Carey, who has been at all 21 Festivals of Ice, added that the local community does a lot to make the weekend special. Even the council members get in on the festivities. They sell chicken noodle soup at the festival, and the proceeds from the sale go towards the borough’s Christmas lights each year.

“The whole Abington area is all supporting [the Festival of Ice],” Carey said.

Locals like Gabby DiMatteo are living proof of Carey’s perspective. DiMatteo, 16, said she has been coming to the festival for as long as she can remember. As she’s gotten older, she’s noticed a few positive changes to the festival’s social opportunities. In addition to the activities that have been added to the festival in recent times, DiMatteo has also recognized the demographic changes that occur over the course of the weekend, depending on the events that are happening and at which time.

“On the first night, when they start with the parade, there’s a lot of my friends…,” DiMatteo explained. “But more toward the daytime, it’s all families, mainly.”

Still, the Festival of Ice is largely a family affair for DiMatteo. She said she is prone to seeing members of her big family walking around the festival. No matter who she goes with, the Festival of Ice remains an important part of her — and of the community’s social calendar.

“It’s a yearly thing that our family goes to,” DiMatteo said. “Whether it’s friends or family, it’s always a good time.”