About This Festival
Previous Location
Community Center|150 N Center, Lava Hot Springs, ID | Map
Everfest's Take
From the Organizer
This year’s Fire & Ice Winterfest on February 7,8, & 9, 2020 adds some new events and a performance by headliner Kip Attaway on Saturday Night. In addition to all the popular standard fare, like the zany Polar Float Parade, the Running of the Bulls—Lava Style, and fire performers, an Ice Ball Fling Championship and card-printing workshop have been added to the schedule. There will also be a Kid’s Water Carnival and snow sledding, a kick-off parade, wine tasting, the torchlight parade, an American Legion pancake breakfast, the great rubber penguin race and for this event only—Lava Bingo is back! Pre-register for the events by Jan. 31 and save $10. A $45 Winterfest Bundle admits one to the wine tasting and Running of the Bulls, one ice ball for the Polar Ice Catapult and five penguins for the Rubber Penguin River Race. The festivities start Friday at 4 pm with snow sledding at City Park for the kids (B.Y.O.S), and wine-tasting for the adults. Enjoy sampling Northwest wines and appetizers at the Riverside Inn, located on the banks of the Portneuf River, 255 E. Portneuf. You’ll enjoy red, white and dessert wines along with appetizers. Included in the price is a Fire & Ice commemorative wine glass to take home and five drink chips. Pre-registration is recommended. The kick-off parade starts at 7 pm followed by the Lava Flow Fire Performers and a bonfire at 7:30 pm. They will entertain you through dance, acrobatics, and music as they manipulate flaming objects. This will be free entertainment for the whole family, so bring the kids and enjoy the show. The show will be performed outside at Chuckwagon Garden (on Main Street across from the Chuckwagon Restaurant). Friday evening finishes off with some highly demanded Lava Bingo! at 8 pm at the Lava Community Building, 150 N. Center. Back for one-night-only, don’t miss out on the chance to play while you can. To play bingo you must be 18 years or older. Saturday morning bring the whole family to the annual Free Children’s Water Carnival from 11 am to 1:30 pm, sponsored by the Lava Hot Springs Foundation. There will be games, prizes and water fun at the Indoor Aquatic Center, 195 N. Center. Events will be oriented towards a 12-and-under crowd, but all ages are welcome. Events include floating relays, wall-climb races, diving contests, and a splash event. Kids must be accompanied by an adult. At Noon, step up to the Ice Catapult for the Ice Ball Fling Championships. Prizes awarded to the top three contestants that launch the furthest. Ice Balls are $5. Dress warm and get ready for an icy time. Or if you’d rather try something warmer, join Ramon Murillo at the Dragonfly Gallery for a card print-making workshop. The workshop will be at noon at 178 W Main for $8. Saturday continues with one of our zaniest events — the Polar Float Parade — for those who dare to jump into the bone-chilling Portneuf River on a float tube dressed in your craziest costume for the chance to win prizes. Get ready for the float at the Pre-Float Party or just preview the lineup at the park along the Portneuf River at 1 pm. In the past, we have seen wonderfully creative costumes, from the Easter Bunny to Santa Claus to the infamous band KISS floating down the Portneuf. Prizes will be awarded for the best group costume (four or more people) and best individual costume. $10 registration at Mountain Mayhem, 156 E. Main, includes tube rental. Be sure to register, sign a waiver and pick up your tube before 1:30 pm so you can be at the starting point by 2 pm. Each year there are more and more brave entrants signing up, so get registered early as registration ends when they run out of tubes! The Polar Float Parade ends at the Community Building, and all paid participants are welcome to soak in the Hot Pools at Lava Hot Springs Inn. At dusk on Saturday evening, weather permitting, there will be fire in the sky — watch the torchlight parade as local daredevils ski down the “L" mountains with lit torches. Afterward, fire performers from Lava Flow Fire will entertain and then again from 7-8 pm on Main St. for an encore performance. At 8 pm enjoy a night of comedy, music, and mayhem with Kip Attaway! Bring a date and enjoy an evening of laughter at the Community Center, 150 N Center. Sunday morning, the American Legion breakfast crew will be cooking their famous breakfast 8 to 11 am, cost $5. Drop your penguin in the Portneuf River on Sunday at 10:30 am for the Great Rubber Penguin Race beginning at the Old Pancake House Bridge. Penguins can be purchased at the different events, from the Merchant Hut, from Walking Penguins around Lava Hot Springs or pre-purchased online at www.fireice.lavahotsprings.org. Tickets are $5 each or $20 for five tickets. The fastest penguins will win prizes and you do not have to be present to win. The festival concludes Sunday morning at 11 am with The Running of the Bulls. Register for Running of the Bulls at the Lava Community Center Sunday from 8-10:30 am for $5. Run down Main Street in just a swimsuit and flip flops in the middle of winter... in Idaho! We dare you! Soak in the Lava Hot Springs Inn Hot pools and then head over to the starting line at the Silver Grille for adults or the Chuck Wagon Restaurant for the younger racers. The finish line is at Lava's World-Famous Hot Pools, where paid participants receive free admission to the Idaho State Hot Pools (must have a wristband). Don’t miss what “USA Today” called one of the”10 Zaniest Winter Festivals in the World!” Fire and Ice Winterfest in Lava Hot Springs on February 7,8, & 9, 2020. For detailed information on events and to pre-register visit www.fireice.lavahotsprings.org or email lavaspecialevents@gmail.com with any questions. All proceeds benefit the Lava Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce.
