Crowd at the Toronto Icefest
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We are introducing a brand new series of Photo Essays! Have a look at amazing Photo Sets all shot by talented photographers. Explore the vibe of the city, its hidden treasures, meet the Torontonians! This time, let's have a look at Toronto through the lens of Carlos Bolivar!
8th Annual Bloor - Yorkville IceFest 2013 in Toronto
Torontonians surely know how to embrace the wintertime with many special events held all over town. The eighth annual Bloor-Yorkville IceFest took place in the city's most vibrant neighbourhood of Yorkville on February 23 and 24, 2013. A true celebration of winter, the festival featured an array of spectacular ice sculpture displays and events throughout the whole neighbourhood.
Spectators watched as the artists carved stunning art pieces from huge blocks of ice right in front of their eyes (in total, they used an unbelievable 35,000 pounds of ice!). On both days of the festival, Cumberland Street was closed for traffic so that people could freely walk among the many sparkling "Wonderful & Whimsical" ice statues that were staged along the pavement.
The 13th Annual Sassafraz Ice Carving Competition on Saturday kicked off the whole festival in the Village of Yorkville Park. Afterwards, spectators voted for their favourite sculpture to receive the People's Choice Sculpture Award. It's almost unbelievable how the most talented ice carvers from all over Ontario could transform ice masses into a crystal-clear, beautiful sculptures with so many fine details! The rich program during these two days included on-street skating performances with the show "Glisse on Ice" and a professional photographer onsite.
Those who got a bit cold or hungry from all the walking stopped at one of the nearby restaurants and cafes for a hot drink. Like every year, the festival was a tremendous success, and hundreds of people flocked to the streets to have a glimpse of the sparkling beauty. The statues looked amazing — especially during the nighttime, when they came alive with special lights. Such a pity that this beauty will melt away with the first signs of higher temperatures!
Have a look at our photo report from the event by Carlos Bolivar!
Welcome to the annual Bloor-Yorkville IceFest in Toronto!
The audience watches how the sculptor transforms a block of ice...
... into a beautiful ice sculpture using his craftsmanship.
A less traditional motive - a different way how to pop the big question!
A beautiful but temporary decoration of the streets
The crowd is loving the statues!
Bloor street in Yorkville was full of spectators also this year
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Meet the Photographer
Carlos Bolivar
Colombian photographer based in Toronto, started with analog Photography in 2003, then jumping to the digital wolrd in 2005. His photographic areas are mainly street, landscapes, portrait and beauty.