February 19-27

Presented by the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center and Retreat Farm, the Artful Ice Shanties outdoor exhibit is a place-based celebration of artistic talent, creative ingenuity, and the rich history of ice fishing at the Retreat Meadows. The Artful Ice Shanties will be displayed in and around Farmhouse Square at Retreat Farm (where the Food Truck Roundup takes place in the summer) from Saturday, Feb. 19, through Sunday, Feb. 27.

Last winter, over 1,000 people attended our inaugural Artful Ice Shanties exhibit. They saw ice shanties shaped like a giant iridescent fish, a black die with moon-shaped dots, a seascape with a three-dimensional octopus, and more. They hiked and snowshoed on the Retreat Farm trails, visited Carlos the ox and other animals, went cross-country skiing, and skated on the Retreat Meadows. As weather and Covid conditions permit, this second iteration of the exhibit will include more outdoor events, activities, demonstrations, and performances.

Join us on Sunday, February 26, at 2 p.m. for a wintry, wonderful outdoor Awards Ceremony where a panel of local judges will give out an array of awards for ice shanties with notably artistic, inventive, or silly qualities. The Awards Ceremony will be held following the 100th anniversary edition of Brattleboro’s famed Harris Hill Ski Jump, which will take place a short walk from Retreat Farm.

ADMISSION: Free. Space for ice shanties is limited, so if you plan to build one, please register as soon as possible.

Questions? Contact Kirsten Martsi at [email protected]