Date/Time
Date(s) - 02/13/2021 - 02/28/2021
7:00 am - 6:00 pm

Location
Retreat Farm

Categories

Most New Englanders have seen ice shanties on frozen lakes, but few, if any, have seen an ice shanty shaped like a fish—not to mention a stovepipe hat, a wishing well, or a wedge of cheese. The Brattleboro Museum & Art Center (BMAC) and Retreat Farm present all this and more in the inaugural Artful Ice Shanties Design-Build Competition, an outdoor celebration of the delightful possibilities of winter.

Over a dozen artistic and ingenious ice shanties will be on view at Retreat Farm from February 13th to 28th. Visitors are encouraged to check them out anytime between dawn and dusk, and to pair their visit with ice skating on the Retreat Meadows (conditions permitting) or walking, snowshoeing, or cross-country skiing on the trails at Retreat Farm. All activities are free and open to the public. Masks and social distancing are required. Museum staff will be on hand and serving complimentary hot cocoa on Saturdays and Sundays, 10-2.

A panel of local judges will bestow a variety of light-hearted awards at an outdoor Award Ceremony on Sunday, February 14, from noon to 1 p.m. at Retreat Farm.

The Artful Ice Shanties Design-Build Competition showcases the artistic talent and creative ingenuity of the Brattleboro region and honors the enduring tradition of ice fishing at the Retreat Meadows. It is presented in connection with two BMAC exhibits on view through March 6, “Ice Shanties: Fishing, People & Culture” and “Erik Hoffner: Ice Visions.”