THE KNICKERBOCKER ICE FESTIVAL & WALK AT ROCKLAND LAKE

The Knickerbocker Ice Festival is back and is an experience not to be missed!

From the web: After more than a decade “on ice,” the beloved Knickerbocker Ice Festival is making its long-awaited return to Rockland Lake State Park from January 24–25, celebrating Rockland Lake’s extraordinary beauty and history.
Once the epicenter of a global ice-harvesting industry, Rockland Lake supplied massive blocks of crystal-clear ice that traveled to far-flung destinations including London, Australia, Asia, and South Africa! That remarkable legacy comes to life once again during this immersive winter festival.
Visitors will be amazed as towering ice sculptures—celebrating both local and national heritage—are carved live by some of the nation’s finest ice sculptors. Guests can also watch igloos being built from snow made right on site.

For those who wish to stay later, as dusk falls, festival goers can warm themselves, meet neighbors, and gather around glowing campfires, culminating in the unforgettable sight of an ice chimney bonfire lighting up the winter sky.
Just as no fine dining establishment or luxury hotel of New York City’s Gilded Era would serve anything other than Knickerbocker Ice, harvested from Rockland Lake, today’s Hudson Valley residents are invited to shed their winter blues, embrace community spirit, and take part in this unique celebration.
Throughout the weekend, visitors can stroll the park while watching sculptures take shape, exploring historic images of Rockland Lake through the decades, and enjoying warmth from campfires and a variety of food trucks.
At the park’s northern pavilion, guests will find large-scale enlargements of historic postcards showcasing Rockland Lake’s storied past. Adding to the experience, incredibly rare footage filmed by Thomas Edison—projected ten feet tall—will depict every stage of ice harvesting at Rockland Lake more than 125 years ago, offering a breathtaking glimpse into the lives and labor of earlier generations.

FOR MORE DETAILS GO TO: https://explorerocklandny.com/event/the-knickerbocker-ice-festival-returns-january-24-25-2026/2026-01-24/

Make a donation at the link above, to help the Knickerbocker Ice Festival continue. It will also go toward work by the Palisades Interstate Parks to create a future Knickerbocker Ice Co. ruins trail!

WE'LL DO OUR WALK AROUND THE LAKE AND ENJOY THE SPECTACULAR ICE SCULPTURES, THAT WILL BE ON DISPLAY. WE CAN GRAB A CUP OF SOMETHING WARM AT ONE OF THE TENTS AND CHECK OUT VARIOUS VENDORS AND HISTORICAL DISPLAYS.

OPTION TO GO FOR A SNACK OR DINNER, AFTER AT A NEARBY VENUE DEPENDING UPON INTEREST AND AVAILABILITY.

THERE IS A $10.00 PARKING FEE FOR ALL, WHICH GOES TO SUPPORT THE ICE FESTIVAL. This includes Seniors and Empire Pass Holders.

MEETUP IN LOT 1, BY THE NORTHERN, CONGERS ENTRANCE, IN FRONT OF THE PARK OFFICE, NEAR THE FLAGPOLE. USE THE GOOGLE MAP PIN AND INSTRUCTIONS BELOW.

IF YOU ARE HEADING NORTH ON 9W FROM NYACK, TAKE THE SECOND PARK ENTRANCE ON YOUR RIGHT, IN CONGERS. IF YOU ARE HEADING SOUTH FROM HAVERSTRAW, TAKE THE FIRST PARK ENTRANCE ON YOUR LEFT IN CONGERS.

BUNDLE UP!!

INCLEMENT WEATHER/ Frigid temps. CANCEL, SO ALWAYS CHECK THE DAY OF THE EVENT, FOR ANY CHANGES. MAY SWITCH TO SATURDAY IF WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE MORE FAVORABLE.

LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING ANOTHER "WINTER WONDERLAND"!

Feature photo from the web. 2016