ICE Fest carousel will be something never seen before anywhere in the world
Those attending the Sunny Zwilling Memorial Ice Carousel Extravaganza (ICE Fest) Feb. 15-16 will see something that has never been attempted or achieved before anywhere in the world, according to ICE Fest founder Chuck Zwilling.ICE Fest annually features a carousel on ice.
“This year we’re going to do kind of a bull’s eye concept. So a 1,000-foot outer ring, a 550-foot inner circle and a 100-foot circle in the middle. That will be something that’s never been done in the world before. So cool,” Zwilling said during the Tuesday, Jan. 16 meeting of the Morrison County Board.
Zwilling was at the board meeting to lay the foundation for receiving a large assembly permit and a fireworks permit for the popular two-day event on Green Prairie Fish Lake.
Other attractions at the 2025 ICE Fest will be dog sledding, ice skating, curling, hockey and other family-friendly activities, Zwilling told members of the county board. That includes human foosball, face-painting, underwater drone demonstrations, hot air balloons, igloo building, rides on antique snowmobiles, a hockey jamboree and food — including smores.
Sponsorship and raffle components of the event help raise funds for the Little Falls School District’s Flyer Pride Pack and Kare Kloset programs.
The event has received a lot of public support, with around 85% of the sponsors and donations coming from the local Little Falls area, Zwilling said. One hundred percent of donations go towards the youth-oriented programs, while sponsorships cover the operating costs. If there are sponsorship funds remaining after the bills are paid, those funds also benefit the Flyer Pride Pack and Kare Kloset programs, Zwilling said.
The goal of the event is to raise enough money to support the Flyer Back Pack and Kare Kloset programs that provide food and basic needs assistance to students in the local school district, he said.
ICE Fest began as a small, private activity organized by the Zwilling family, Chuck Zwilling said. A Facebook post led to not only great public interest, but interest from Twin Cities television stations as well. When it gained publicity after being posted on social media, organizers decided to turn the activity into a public fundraising event, he said.
Written by: Jeffrey Hage Morrison County Record Jan 18, 2025 Updated Feb 23, 2026
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