Fire & Ice Festival Dover

The Downtown Dover Partnership (DDP), in collaboration with the City of Dover and community partners, is proud to present the inaugural Fire and Ice Festival, an immersive celebration of art, food, family fun, and the city’s ongoing transformation. The festival - free and open to the entire community - will take place Friday, January 17th, 3PM - 9PM, and Saturday, January 18th, from 12PM to 9PM in the heart of downtown Dover stretching on Loockerman from the Library to 120 South Governors Ave.

This two-day winter spectacular will feature 32 small ice sculptures and five large, live-carved ice sculptures, alongside activities that bring together Dover’s vibrant community. Visitors will experience the magic of live ice carving starting Friday at 3 PM as well as midday Saturday, while and enjoying family-friendly entertainment, including a Kid Zone, two parklets on Loockerman Street, the fiery flavors of Fire, Ice, and Spice, smore’s, music, and much more.

“The City of Dover is pleased to be partnering with the DDP on the inaugural Fire & Ice Festival, especially at a time of year when things can be slow for merchants and restaurant owners, and people are getting a little cabin-fever,” commented Mayor Christiansen who believes it is important to bring the community together at events throughout the year. “And we’ll have a little surprise to announce in early January, so keep your eyes and ears open for some news about the Festival Finale, because we’re going to go out with a bang.”

“The Fire and Ice Festival is about more than just winter fun—it’s a celebration of the physical and cultural transformation happening in downtown Dover,” said Diane Laird, Executive Director of the Downtown Dover Partnership. “This event highlights our commitment to revitalizing the city through art, local business, and community engagement, and several catalyst redevelopment projects, including a mobility center for +/-350 cars, bikes, and retail, as well as a mixed-use project with first floor retail, coffee shop, wellness center, and daycare, and +/0160 apartments above. All of these are projects as outlined in the .”

The public is invited to stop byto learn and see more about this exciting plan directly from project team members during the Fire and Ice Festival. “2025 is the year that we will begin to see these large scale projects come into view on their sites, with groundbreaking.”

We've got lots of opportunities for you to "come behind the scenes" at Fire and Ice - both indoors and outside!

• Live Ice Sculpting: Watch professional sculptors transform massive ice blocks into works of art.
• Fire, Ice, and Spice: Enjoy special fire-and-ice-themed dishes and drinks from local restaurants, eateries and food trucks.
• Kid Zone: Family-friendly activities, including face painting, crafts, and more.
• Shop Local: Explore downtown shops and vendors offering festival specials.
• More to be announced, including a Special Festival Finale!

With an estimated 6,000+ attendees over the course of the event, the Fire and Ice Festival will create opportunities for local businesses to shine while providing a memorable experience for visitors.

This festival is part of DDP’s ongoing effort to revitalize downtown Dover through the Capital City 2030: Transforming Downtown Dover Master Plan. The festival celebrates Dover’s unique blend of history, culture, and creativity, drawing attention to the progress being made in enhancing the city’s physical and economic landscape.

Overnight accommodations at special rate: by Wyndham Dover at 1703 East Lebanon Road, Dover, Delaware 19901 is offering $79 plus tax rate for single occupancy and $89 plus tax for double occupancy, first come first serve basis. To book, email Sagar Patel () to request the Dover Fire & Ice Festival room rate.

Provide a donation or sign up to be a Downtown Champion or Ice Scuplture Supporter on this Eventbrite site.

For details on additional sponsorship opportunities, Contact [email protected] or visit the event website (info soon to be live!)

Food truck operators and experienced craft vendors (non-food, except for items prepared off-site/pre-packaged goods, such as jellies, honey, popcorn, etc.) are invited to participate in the event. Registration costs are dependent on vendor type. Space is limited. Those interested should contact with name of business, website address, and phone number.

The Downtown Dover Partnership is committed to improving the quality of life for residents and visitors through collective collaboration, economic development, and the promotion of Dover’s unique historic charm. For more details, visit DowntownDoverPartnership.com.

Main Street Dover 501 (c)(3) is a non-profit subsdiary of the Downtown Dover Partnership. Sponsorships should be made payable to "Main Street Dover." Donors will be provided a letter of confirmation for charitable donations toward this event.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

101 W Loockerman St, 101 West Loockerman Street, Dover, United States