A blast of winter hit Jim Thorpe Winterfest this weekend, but a Saturday night snowstorm didn’t stop visitors from enjoying everything that annual event had to offer.

Families young and old descended on downtown Jim Thorpe to take train rides, eat, watch wood and ice carvers, and shop. The event is sponsored by the Jim Thorpe Tourism Agency.

Big Creek Vineyard was a busy place as those who preordered mugs for Winterfest’s “Mug Walk” picked them up and began heading for local shops.

“It’s a really cool part of Winterfest where you go to different shops and get different stuff, whether its coupons or coffee or something like that,” said Patricia Bliss of Lehighton on Sunday afternoon. “We leave the husbands at home and have a girl’s day out. Thankfully, the roads were pretty good this morning so we didn’t have much trouble getting in or finding a parking spot.”

The event, now in its 26th year, averages over 1,000 visitors each President’s Day weekend.

Neil Trimper, of Sculpted Ice Works, dazzled the crowd with his ice carvings in Josiah White Park including a train, Indian head and a unicorn.

Sunny skies on Sunday helped to melt leftover snow, but it also forced Trimper to adjust his craving strategy.

“We have to keep them a little thicker when the sun is out like it is today,” he said. “The sun is really kind of beating up the ones we did yesterday.”

Carving for over 20 years, Trimper was working as a cook when he saw one of the chefs carving ice. He asked him for a lesson and never looked back.

Trimper uses ice blocks that are 20 inches wide, 40 inches high and 10 inches thick.

He said each carving takes around 40-45 minutes to make.

“We’ve been carving here at Winterfest just about every year and really enjoy each time we come back,” he said.

A coat of snow added to the usual scenery of train rides of the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway. Three train rides took place eachday, leaving at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

“It’s already a beautiful ride, but when you add in the snow, I think it just made it perfect,” Kyle George of Nesquehoning said. “There is nothing that made the kids happier today than taking a ride on that train.”

Michael Blaine returned to the event to give wood carving demonstrations throughout the weekend.

The Faculty Brass strolling quartet was scheduled for performances from 1 to 4 p.m. both days.

Saturday featured two free shows from Crufeli Sideshow and Entertainment at the Mauch Chunk Opera House.

Next door, the Marion Hose Bar’s outdoor ice bar made its Winterfest debut.

“I think we’ll definitely be back,” said Trisha Fisher of Pottsville. “Jim Thorpe is a beautiful town with a lot to offer.”

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