Sep 26, 2024
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. (September 26, 2024) - As the holiday season approaches, over 30 master ice artisans are traveling to Gaylord National to carve thousands of pounds of ice into an extraordinary, walk-through holiday experience that can only be found at select hotels across the country.
The carvers travel over 6,400 miles from their home of Harbin, China, also known as "Ice City," each year to share their craft with the world. Their ice carving skills are passed down through generations and put on display annually in the world's largest ice and snow sculpting festival in Harbin. Gaylord Hotels ICE! experience is one of the only places in the world where the mastery can be seen, and the only place in the U.S. where it is shown off in a large display and walk-through experience.
Gaylord National will welcome the artisans on Monday, October 14 with a special ceremony. This ceremony will include a traditional lion dance to celebrate the Chinese culture of the artisans, which they share with the community by spending time to craft the ICE! experience. Additionally, Gaylord National employees will be present to cheer and welcome each artisan into the resort.
This year, the artisans will work for about 30 days to recreate "A Charlie Brown Christmas" out of two million pounds of ice. This is equivalent to more than 6,000 blocks of ice, which will fill a nearly 17,000 square foot insulated tent with 12 scenes from the iconic Peanuts® holiday special, complete with a larger-than-life Snoopy doghouse that visitors can walk through and five different Snoopy sculptures -- all made of ice. The tent will be kept at a brisk 9-degrees Fahrenheit, preserving the experience all holiday season.
Each artisan brings a unique skillset to the table, and the group splits into three different teams to get the project done. One group works as builders, laying the foundation of the overall experience by freezing 300-pound ice blocks together using water to create frozen glue. Once the blocks are fused together and put in place, another group of artisans will come in to begin chipping away at the blocks to reveal the outline of each sculpture. After the sculptures are in their correct shapes, another group of artisans will work on the precise details with tools like chisels, chippers and tongs. A team specializing in lighting and design will finish the experience off, focusing on showcasing the sculptures in the best way. The ice carvings range in size from details as tiny as a coin to scenes more than 30 feet tall. Once the ICE! experience opens, a handful of artisans stay behind and do daily touch-ups. In addition to walking-thru this immersive experience that brings the fan-favorite story to life, guests can enjoy several interactive experiences throughout the attraction, such as sliding down two-story-tall ice slides and traversing through ice tunnels and arches. The ICE! experience concludes in a separate area dedicated to the Nativity scene, meticulously carved, and shaped in a dramatic display of crystal-clear ice.
Christmas at Gaylord National also includes packages that include special room rates and admission to select events, as well as a special offer that includes a stay in a Presidential Suite and an exclusive carving experience with the Master Artisan himself. Other special experiences available include one-of-a-kind gender reveals and proposal packages, with a professional photographer included. Guests are encouraged to book early, as reservations are required for all ticketed events. The best way to experience everything is with an overnight stay, and there is a special VIP package which will allow guests to truly learn about the ice carving tradition.
Presidential ICE! Package
Tickets and this special VIP package have limited availability and can be booked at ChristmasAtGaylordNational.com.
Located just steps away from National Harbor, guests can enjoy all the holiday activities and entertainment in this waterfront destination. Check out the D.C. and Arlington skyline from the top of the Capital Wheel, and choose from a variety of shops and fun, free activities like movies and concerts on the pier. Guests of the resort can ride the National Harbor Circulator bus to visit Tanger Outlets or MGM Resort, as well.
To learn more about Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center and book an overnight stay, room package, meeting, or event, please visit christmasatgaylordnational.com or call 301-965-4000.
About ICE!
The annual ICE! events bring to life beloved Christmas stories hand-carved by master artisans from Harbin, China at resorts around the United States. Created and designed by Gaylord Hotels, ICE! debuted at Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tennessee in 2001. ICE! has been visited by tens of millions of visitors who travel to each resort to see more than 2 million pounds carved into beloved scenes and characters, two-story ice slides, photo-worthy tunnels and archways, and more. ICE! takes place at each Gaylord Hotels resort across the United States, including Gaylord National Resort in National Harbor, Md., Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tenn., Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee, Fla., Gaylord Rockies Resort in Aurora, Colo. and Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine, Texas, in 2024, ICE! makes its debut at JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country in San Antonio, Texas. More information can be found at ICE.marriott.com.
About Gaylord National
Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center is the largest, non-gaming hotel and convention center on the east coast, located along the banks of the Potomac River in National Harbor, Maryland, and part of Marriott International, Inc. Opened in April 2008, Gaylord National is an AAA-Four Diamond resort that is only eight miles from Washington, D.C. The resort offers nearly 2,000 rooms including 110 suites; a 19-story atrium; 600,000 square-feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space; acclaimed restaurants including Old Hickory Steakhouse; and Pose Rooftop Lounge.
About Peanuts
The characters of Peanuts and related intellectual property are owned by Peanuts Worldwide, which is 41% owned by WildBrain Ltd., 39% owned by Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., and 20% owned by the family of Charles M. Schulz, who first introduced the world to Peanuts in 1950, when the comic strip debuted in seven newspapers. Since then, Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gang have made an indelible mark on popular culture. In addition to enjoying beloved Peanuts shows and specials on Apple TV+, fans of all ages celebrate the Peanuts brand worldwide through thousands of consumer products, as well as amusement park attractions, cultural events, social media, and comic strips available in all formats, from traditional to digital. In 2018, Peanuts partnered with NASA on a multi-year Space Act Agreement designed to inspire a passion for space exploration and STEM among the next generation of students.
"A Charlie Brown Christmas": © 2024 Peanuts Worldwide LLC.
