Volunteer crews are harvesting large ice blocks from a Minnesota lake to create an ice palace for the 2022 Polar Fest.
Detroit Lake's Polar Fest is a big deal there, and this year its ice palace is being constructed in temperatures that have hovered around freezing lows, often below zero degrees with added wind chill warnings.
Crews are set to cut out around 2,000 blocks of ice, each of them weighing hundreds of pounds. A system using hand tools along with various large saws, lifts and conveyor belts helps crew members transport the massive blocks.
The grand lighting for the palace, the main attraction at 2022's Polar Fest, will be held on Feb. 11.
A live stream showing crews harvesting the blocks can be seen here, streamed on the website for the organization "Ice Harvest."
The Minnesota Sn’Ice committee is leading the project and plans to also construct an ice maze for the event. The Detroit Lakes Polar Fest is a 16-day-long festival that focuses on winter activities.
