First Saturday Fire In Ice Was A Smash Hit

What a day Frederick Maryland, you really know how to throw a party! Temperatures in the mid 40's brought out the crowds in big numbers for an amazing time at First Saturday Fire In Ice 2019. I'm no expert on crowd sizes and I haven't heard anything official but I'd venture to guess that this was the biggest one yet which makes me so happy for Frederick and I'm positive the organizers are just as pleased.

Downtown Frederick Partnership had this on say their Facebook page yesterday.

"Wow... that was a lot of people last night!! A sincere thank you to each and every person who came out to support our small businesses, marvel at the sculptures and fire performers, and enjoy the ambiance of Downtown Frederick!

We also want to say thank you for everyone's patience as our crew worked to place 117 ice sculptures around town. The final deliveries finished up around 5pm, a bit later than anticipated. A sunnier day than expected (which damages the sculptures if exposed too long), more sculptures than ever before, and the bustling sidewalks meant a slight delay in deliveries... but man did everything look great in the end!

Hope to see you back soon for more fun in this beautiful city we call home."

I arrived on scene around 12:30 with plenty of time to spare so I stopped in at Serendipity Market & More at 14 E Patrick to check out their space which they've done an awesome job with. They have everything from local produce, cheeses, jams, to coffee, CBD products, local Arts and Crafts, a Deli and an artists space where local artists can showcase their work. This store is a one stop shop that you can't find elsewhere downtown. I can't wait to go back and try some of the food it smelled absolutely delicious in there. Stop by and check them out they're doing great things for the Frederick Community.

From there I headed over to the Ice Bar On The Creek figuring I'd check out some sculptures on the way, though I felt it was kind of odd I didn't see any or even see many people for that matter. As soon as I arrived at the creek I realized why there were no people on the streets, the beers and wines were flowing and the party had begun. I still saw no sculptures but thought to myself ok it's warm out today maybe they're just waiting, so I'll stay here and talk to some folks and enjoy some food and libations. Olde Mother Brewing, Idiom Brewing, Housecat Brewing, Flying Dog Brewery, and Rockwell Brewery were serving up some of Maryland's finest brews, also Box Car Burgers and Mayta's Peruvian Cuisine were on hand serving up delicious meals to soak up the suds. I tried the Peruvian Chicken Empanadas which were off the hook, if you haven't tried Mayta's Peruvian you are missing out and they should be on your radar. The crowds continued to swell and some of the vendors started running out of beer shortly after 4pm and it was then that I knew it was going to be a bigger day than anyone had anticipated.

By this time I was good and ready to head out and walk around to see what Fire In Ice had in store for us this year. What I found was that the streets were just as packed as the Carroll Creek Promenade and the party flowed over into Downtown. I started at the Belvedere Vodka and George Dickel Whiskey Ice Luges over at Hooch And Banter ( No shots for me:) and made my way up one side of Market St and back down the other, gazing at all the beautiful ice displays stopping for hot chocolate and S'mores along the way. What I also found was that the organizers and the crews did an incredible job getting all the ice sculptures placed throughout downtown in a very short amount of time with massive crowds all around them. I had an absolute blast walking around mingling and partying with my fellow Fredericktonians, I say kudos to all involved who made this event a smashing success and I cannot wait until next year already. In the meantime be sure to follow me on Facebook , @jeffreysochphotography on Instagram and search #fansoffrederick on both platforms for more local coverage of all things Frederick throughout the year.

Once again Frederick Maryland has reassured me I made the right decision in picking a place to call home. I love you Frederick!