New events spice up Fire & Ice Festival

CEDAR RAPIDS — The City of Five Seasons is lighting five trees for the season, beginning Tuesday and continuing daily through Friday.

That's just one of the new twists on this year's Fire & Ice celebration in Cedar Rapids, designed to radiate holiday joy from the city's downtown districts.

The first tree lighting ceremony will begin at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in the MedQuarter's Pocket Park along Fourth Avenue SE near 10th Street, then continue at 5 p.m. Wednesday at the McGrath Amphitheatre in the Kingston District; 6:30 p.m. Thursday at NewBo City Market; 5:30 p.m. Friday on May's Island downtown; and 7 p.m. Friday at the Artisan Sanctuary in Czech Village.

'The downtown tree — the city tree — is still going to be the grand tree that it always has been,' Jill Wilkins, event planner for the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance, said. 'However, a variety of us met, and because there's so many different things happening that weekend, we just saw it as an opportunity to have all the districts work together on a project and add some additional sparkle and decoration to the different districts in Cedar Rapids.'

Visitors are invited to snap a selfie with friends at each tree during December, post them to Instagram with #FireIce15 and mention @EconomicAlliance. A winner chosen Jan. 5 will receive a gift basket of goodies from the five districts.

More sounds of the season will be filling the air, too, with the first 'Not So Silent Night' Caroling Competition, vying for 'audience-favorite' votes. It's a nod to Seattle's Great Figgy Pudding caroling contest, but the Cedar Rapids version is placing the emphasis on fun.

'We have a community full of great artists and musicians, and those who appreciate music,' Wilkins said. 'It seems like a really good fit.'

Whether your group has 'a lot of experience and a full songbook' or simply wants to sing 'Jingle Bells' the entire time, she said singers of all skill levels are urged to participate. Carolers will be placed around Greene Square from 4 to 5 p.m. Dec. 5, and the public can stroll around, listen to each group and vote for their favorite. At 5:45 p.m., each group is invited to sing one song on the front steps at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, before the winner is announced. Registration deadline is Wednesday.

'We want to continue to bring the traditions and favorites the community has come to enjoy, but bring some different pieces to (the celebration) to stay fresh,' Wilkins said.

Lots of events are booked for the downtown public library Dec. 5, from the big brass sounds of Merry TubaChristmas resounding in the lobby from 2 to 3 p.m., to a Santa meet-and-greet from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., and a Whoville Holiday from 4 to 6 p.m., featuring a 'How the Grinch Stole the Show' story time and crafts.

The 32nd annual Holiday DeLight Parade will light up the night at 6 p.m. Dec. 5, using the traditional route around the city center, along Second and Third avenues SE, between Sixth and Second streets.

The Celebration of Freedom parade moved through Czech Village and New Bohemia districts last summer, because of construction in and around Greene Square Park, but Wilkins said even though the park isn't ready to host the city tree and festivities just yet, the perimeter sidewalks are open for parade-goers.

All of the entries will be lighted, from the floats and big balloons to Santa, Mrs. Claus and their reindeer, making their grand entrance at the end of the hourlong event.

Following the parade, the 21-and-older crowd is invited to warm up by donning ugly Christmas sweaters for the new Walking in a Whiskey Wonderland downtown pub crawl from 7 to 11 p.m. at Pub 217, White Star Ale House, La Cantina and Need Pizza. Wilkins assures Hawkeye fans that stops will have TVs on, so participants can keep track of the action from the Big 10 championship game in Indianapolis.

'It's a great opportunity to get people to come back downtown and see all the great things happening in the core of Cedar Rapids,' Wilkins said. 'It's also a great opportunity to kick off the holiday season — and enjoy family and friends and the community as a whole.'

AT A GLANCE