First Friday To Feature Carved Ice Sculptures, Fire Dancing
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David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
All of Warsaw’s First Fridays this year will reflect the Indiana Bicentennial theme of “Decades of Change.” Tomorrow’s First Friday is the annual “Fire & Ice,” which features carved ice sculptures downtown. The first event of the year is from 5 to 9 p.m. Paula Bowman, First Friday coordinator, said there will be 20 ice sculptures this year. The centerpiece sculpture will be of the Bicentennial torch. It also is a thank-you to the Dr. Dane and Mary Louise Miller Foundation, which sponsors the First Fridays all year. The ice blocks will be unloaded at about 8 a.m. Friday, with carvings beginning at noon. Spectators will have three chances to see Pyroscope, a fire dancing group, perform Friday. The 15-minute shows are scheduled for 7, 7:30 and 8 p.m. on Center Street. There will be food booths and eight to 10 “other” booths, Bowman stated. “So that will be kind of fun,” she said. Also on hand Friday will be an 8-foot replica of the Bicentennial torch that is available for sale. Hermann’s Christmas Wonderland in Pierceton is making the replicas of the torch for $500, which anyone can purchase, Bowman said. Information on buying the torches will be available at First Friday. “We hope we can get thousands of these around the state, especially here since they are being manufactured here, and along the torch relay route,” Bowman said. The torch relay will come through Kosciusko County the morning of Sept. 29, but a weekend full of events is planned for Sept. 29 through Oct. 1 as part of the county’s celebration of Indiana’s 200th birthday. “There’s all kinds of exciting things coming up that take place as we get into the Bicentennial celebration. Fun things are planned,” Bowman said, noting that the beard contest has started.
