Shopping, Ice Carving Part Of Go Rogue Warsaw’s Urban Frost Fest

An ice sculptor uses a blowtorch to polish a carving of a dress in front of Glam Boutique in Warsaw during Go Rogue Warsaw’s Urban Frost Fest on Thursday, Feb. 8. InkFreeNews photo by Leah Sander.

By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — People could admire various ice sculptures while shopping or dining in downtown Warsaw on Thursday night, Feb. 8.

Go Rogue Warsaw, which aims to have people frequent downtown Warsaw, held its first solo event, the Urban Frost Fest, then.

Businesses, including Glam Boutique, Rex’s Rendezvous, Art of Dance, B+B Courthouse Market, One Ten Craft Meatery, Atelier, Mad Anthony’s Lake City Tap House, The Lab, Moving Pictures Tattoo Cinema, Old National Bank and Nicodemus Cards and Gaming and Our House Real Estate, participated, with people encouraged to patronize them.

Several sculptors crafted blocks of ice into everything from the Pokemon character Pikachu to a dress, with the themes tying into the businesses they were in front of.

Go Rogue member Nathan Underneath, who owns Moving Pictures, said Go Rogue opted to have the ice carving to pay tribute to the former Fire and Ice event, which used to occur in Warsaw.

“It was always a big turnout, so we wanted to bring that back,” said Underneath.

He said the group just wanted to create an event “to give people things to do,” without requiring an entrance fee.

Underneath said Atelier’s newest show opened Thursday during the event, with The River Coffeehouse also having a soft opening for its new Warsaw location.

He said Go Rogue was working on planning more events, including a Valentine’s Day one where couples could purchase food from several restaurants before dancing at Art of Dance. To purchase tickets for that, people may reach out through Go Rogue’s Facebook page.

Before the Urban Frost Fest, Go Rogue participated in Main Street Warsaw’s Spooktakular in October. Underneath noted Go Rogue isn’t trying to compete with the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce or MSW, but will work with them on some events.

Go Rogue Warsaw meets at noon every Monday at a different business. People who wish to attend may message Go Rogue’s Facebook page to see where the next meeting will be held.

To officially join Go Rogue, there’s a membership fee, but anyone is welcome to come to a meeting even if they don’t have a downtown Warsaw business, said Underneath.

“It’s about enriching the community, so we want to know what people want to see and what people want to do,” he said.

Glam Boutique owner Michelle Smith Hansen models the ice sculpture dress outside her business during Go Rogue Warsaw’s Urban Frost Fest. InkFreeNews photo by Leah Sander.