Snowkings’ Winter Festival ice cutters have begun sawing and stacking slabs of ice from the frozen Yellowknife Bay for the 2026 event.
The festival’s signature Snowcastle, a giant castle built on the bay and opened to the public each March, relies on blocks of ice for its feature windows and slides.
In a Sunday evening news release, the festival said its crew had spent the weekend pulling 114 blocks of six-inch-thick ice, “the first of about 400 that will be needed.”
“Construction of the actual castle begins in earnest January 1 when the walls begin to take shape,” organizers added.
“Over the next few weeks, Snowking cautions everyone walking and sledding in the vicinity of the castle’s visitor centre to please stay clear as new ice forms where the ice ‘quarry’ is cut. The site is well marked with barricades and safety cones.”
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The 2026 edition of the festival runs from March 1-28.
Here are some photos of the ice quarrying work provided by festival organizers.
