A morning snowfall set the stage for an ice festival in Scranton, with the theme of “Toys: A City of Ice, A World of Play.”
Tim Pawloski, of Blakely, appreciated the chance to bring his family out to Courthouse Square on Saturday for a day of activity, a bright spot in a slow season.
Pawloski, whose daughter Natalie was performing at the event with the Twirlettes, said his family enjoys coming to downtown Scranton for events throughout the year, especially during warmer months.
Natalie Pawloski, 8, and Paisley Morgan, 9, practice their baton routine before performing at the Scranton Ice Festival on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (GERI GIBBONS/STAFF PHOTO)
Brigid Lawrence, owner of the Friendly Alien bookstore on Wyoming Avenue, said Saturday’s ice festival brought it customers and added some color to an otherwise overcast period of the year. (GERI GIBBONS/STAFF PHOTO)
A sculpture of the alien from Toy Story sits outside the Friendly Alien book store on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. The sculpture was consistent with the theme of this year’s ice festival, “A Winter Wonderland of Toys & Ice.” (GERI GIBBONS/STAFF PHOTO)
A juggler entertains the crowd at The Scranton Ice Festival on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (GERI GIBBONS/STAFF PHOTO)
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Natalie Pawloski, 8, and Paisley Morgan, 9, practice their baton routine before performing at the Scranton Ice Festival on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (GERI GIBBONS/STAFF PHOTO)
The ice festival provided a welcome reprieve from a bit of boredom that often defines January, he said.
Pawloski and his son Casey, 5, made their way around the city and saw many of about 50 ice sculptures on display.
“It’s nice way to spend a Saturday,” he said. “We loved all the sculptures.”
Brigid Lawrence who opened the Friendly Alien last summer, said she always enjoyed coming to the ice festival as a participant.
So, in December, when she was asked to participate as a business, she didn’t hesitate.
Lawrence said customers appreciated the alien shaped ice sculpture that stook in front of her store. The alien, she said, was from the movie “Toy Story’ and consistent with this year’s festival theme of “A Winter Wonderland of Toys & Ice.”
Many of the customers stopped to take a photo of themselves with the icy figure before coming in to the store to shop.
The weather — a morning snow, temperatures that hovered near freezing, and sunshine that peeked through the clouds — made it the perfect day for a walk through downtown to see the sculptures, with no fear of them melting, she said.
The festival not only provides entertainment, but also supports local businesses during a chilly month.
Scranton Tomorrow is sponsoring the annual Downtown on Ice for the third year since taking over from a small group of volunteers who started it to fight the pandemic slump.
The festival continues Sunday and features Lackawanna County’s America250PA Kick Off ceremony at 2:30 p.m. under a tent on Courthouse Square.
The festival’s website is http://scrantonice.com.