Ice Magic Festival

The Ice Magic Festival is an annual event taking place over 2 weekends (January 16-27 2019) at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise hotel, Deer Lodge, and Lake Louise ski area.

The main competition of the 2019 event takes place from January 16-18; starting at 8am on Jan 16 and finishing by 2pm on Jan 18, ten professional ice carving teams of two will use chainsaws to form huge ornate ice sculptures from 15 blocks of ice. This year’s theme for the competition will be Celebrating 25 Years of Ice Magic, and competitors are to choose iconic carvings to commemorate this milestone.
After the main competition ends on Jan 18th there will be a speed competition from 4.30pm to 5.30pm where professional carvers will have just one hour to turn a block of ice into a masterpiece.
From 6-8pm on Jan 18 there will be an awards ceremony, where judges will present prizes for the best creations.
Tickets will be required to view the ice sculptures between 10am and 5.30pm on Saturday and Sunday, and can be purchased in advance from Ticketweb.ca or directly from outside the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise on the festival weekend. These tickets are for 1.5 hour time slots, so it’s recommended to book in advance to get the time slot you prefer, and to save 25% off the on-site ticket price (adult $13, child $6, family $35 (2 adults + up to 4 children)).
*Guests staying at a Lake Louise hotel will receive a complimentary wristband from their accommodation for free access anytime. Guests staying at partner hotels in Banff will receive a discount code from their accommodation for a 50% discount when purchasing tickets in advance from Ticketweb.ca.

From January 21st-25th tickets are not required to view the ice sculptures midweek, likewise before 10am or after 5.30pm at the weekend, so these are the best times to visit if your schedule allows, as the site will be much quieter.

The weekend of January 26 and 27 is an opportunity to view the sculptures from the previous week’s competition at Chateau Lake Louise, while taking in the carving demonstrations by one of the competitors.
On both Saturday & Sunday tickets will be required between 10am and 5.30pm (see above for ticket information).

While it’s very impressive to see the ice carvers in action during the festival competition weekend, the magical sculptures can be viewed for several weeks after the event, as long as the temperatures stay low!

Ice Magic Hotel Packages in Lake Louise

If you are looking for lodging at a Lake Louise hotel during the Ice Magic Festival, the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise cannot be beaten for convenience, as most of the events will be taking place right outside.
Click here for reservations.

To find more Lake Louise hotels for this event, click here.